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ISLAMABAD, Dec 23 (APP):With youth development emerging as a strategic priority for the Muslim world, President of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), Mr. Taha Ayhan, visited the OIC-COMSTECH Secretariat in Islamabad to advance concrete cooperation in science, technology, innovation, and future-oriented skills across OIC member states.
The ICYF President was warmly received by the Coordinator General of OIC-COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary.
During the meeting, Prof. Dr. Choudhary briefed the visiting dignitary on the mandate of OIC-COMSTECH, followed by its flagship initiatives and ongoing programmes.
He highlighted OIC-COMSTECH’s active engagement across OIC member states, along with its strong collaborative linkages with OIC observer states, including Russia and Thailand, as well as special programmes with China.
Prof. Dr. Choudhary emphasized OIC-COMSTECH’s expanding role in science, technology, innovation, health, higher education, and youth-focused capacity-building across the Islamic world.
Both sides reviewed past joint initiatives and held in-depth discussions on future collaboration, with particular focus on ICYF’s vision for 2026, designated as the year of “Future-Ready Youth.”
President ICYF underscored the importance of preparing youth who are responsive, resilient, and capable of addressing emerging global challenges, and described OIC-COMSTECH as a key strategic partner in advancing this agenda.
Taha Ayhan stressed the urgent need to equip young people with comprehensive, future-oriented skills. During the meeting, it was proposed to launch a joint online skill-development programme, particularly in emerging technologies, to be implemented through a network of virtual universities. The initial phase of this joint initiative is expected to benefit 5,000 youth annually from OIC member states.
Furthermore, a virtual training programme in disaster preparedness and pandemic management was also proposed, along with organizing the OIC Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Exhibition in Iran during Spring 2026.
Prof. Dr. Choudhary also highlighted OIC-COMSTECH’s ongoing and growing collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme as a successful national model that can be expanded to benefit youth across the OIC region.
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the shared commitment of OIC-COMSTECH and ICYF, in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, Pakistan, to invest in youth as key drivers of innovation, resilience, and sustainable development across the Islamic world.
