Alhaji Abubakarr Bah, Information Attaché, Saudi Arabia
The Assistant Secretary General for Science & Technology of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Aftab Ahmad Khokher, has called on Member States of the OIC to establish an effective communication channel within the Secretariat.
Addressing Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives of Member States at the Cameroon Chancery on Tuesday, 9th December 2025, Ahmad Khokher reiterated the need for the OIC to have an effective communication channel for information dissemination and implementation.
“My department has four pillars: Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI); Higher Education; Health, Water Management; and Environment and Climate Change. If we can work together to establish an effective communication channel focusing on these four pillars, we will be able to achieve a lot for Member States,” he said.
He added that they had “witnessed how the COVID-19 virus exposed countries around the world,” noting that it was prudent for the OIC, with 57 Member States, to work together effectively to minimize future occurrences.
He also called on the OIC to hold the Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) every two years.
The OIC Assistant Secretary General for Science & Technology highlighted some of the aids Member States in Africa have been benefiting from the OIC STI Agenda 2026, including facilitating knowledge sharing (such as water management via SESRIC’s programs), promoting research, fostering academic collaboration (scholarships through ISESCO), and supporting infrastructure/innovation through initiatives like the Islamic University of Technology (IUT) and developing science parks.
He said the overall objective was aimed at boosting scientific capacity and economic growth in OIC members, including those in Africa, by bridging digital divides and promoting regional cooperation.
In his contribution, the First Secretary of the Sierra Leone Embassy in Saudi Arabia, Mr. Ishiaka Jalloh, on behalf of Sierra Leone’s Ambassador, commended Mr. Ahmad Khokher for comprehensively giving a thorough insight into the OIC’s COMSTECH. He said interestingly, one of the four pillars Mr. Ahmad Khokher highlighted in COMSTECH align with Human Capital Development, which is encapsulated in the Government of Sierra Leone’s Big Five Gamechangers of His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio.
Mr. Jalloh disclosed that Sierra Leone has a lot of students graduating from universities but they are constrained in pursuing higher studies. He urged the OIC to consider awarding more scholarships to Sierra Leonean graduates, especially in the sciences.
Mr. Jalloh also called for collaboration between COMSTECH and the UN Technology University in Turkiye, which he said is conducting research in food security for OIC member states.
He said “COMSTECH operates on 4 pillars: health, education, Science Technology and Innovation, water management and Climate change,” emphasizing for the need for digital transformation within OIC member States. Mr. Jalloh requested technical assistance from COMSTECH for the supply of medical equipment, including dialysis machines for cancer treatment, including diagnostic machines.
In his welcome address during the meeting, the Cameroonian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, His Excellency Iya Tidjani, commended his colleagues and representatives of Ambassadors for attending the meeting. He said the meeting was aimed at providing comprehensive information on the progress, prospects, and implementation opportunities of the Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH).
