The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on bilateral cooperation signed between OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) and Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS).
The purpose of the MoU is to define the framework as well as the modalities of scientific and technological cooperation between CILSS and COMSTECH in areas of mutual interest, with particular focus on food and nutritional security, natural resource and water management, population, gender, climate change, and conservation and restoration of ecosystems. Both organizations will cooperate to implement joint programs of scientific and technical nature to promote and strengthen cooperation to provide a platform for collaborative activities in the fields of mutual interest and encourage mobility and cooperation. It will include sharing experiences and best practices, development of methodologies, and mobility of experts. The cooperation between the both organizations includes combating desertification and mitigating the effects of climate change against land degradation and improvement of land productivity, preventive management of the impact of climate change and natural disasters. Both organizations will cooperate on water management, population development, capacity building on data management, artificial intelligence and machine learning, food and nutrition security, and resilient capacity building to combat poverty.
Cooperative activities between the organizations may include joint organization of events such as sessions, side events, seminars, research activities, and exchange of information, conducting prospective studies on topics of common interest, capacity building and support for the implementation of environmental programs, and joint mobilization of resources for the implementation of projects and programs at the regional level. The MoU was signed by the Coordinator General COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, and the Executive Secretary CILSS, Dr. Abdoulaye Mohamadolt. COMSTECH is the Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The core mandate of COMSTECH is to nurture cooperation among OIC states in science and technology and enhance their capabilities through training in emerging areas. Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sabel (CILSS), is an Intergovernmental Organization. The mandate of CILSS is to invest in the search for food and security and in the fight against the effects of climate change mainly of drought and desertification, for a new ecological balance in the Sahel. CILSS is headquartered in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.