The first ever Islamic world science and technology summit took place in Astana, Kazakhstan on 10th and 11th September, and this is a great step forward as there are major water shortages in the area.

The summit was organised by the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to increase investment in science and technology as a way of addressing food, water and climate change challenges across the Islamic world.

All 57 Muslim majority nations were represented at the summit, the end-goal of which was to build new “knowledge-economies” of the future by having all 57 commit to increasing investment in science and technology to tackle development challenges, especially around food and water security.

Among the countries represented by senior Government Officials, were Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nigeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Libya. Government Ministers and Heads of State attended to discuss the implementation of national policies that address food, water, climate change and health challenges by using science and technology.

Key challenges addressed at the summit included:

  • Climate change and the consequent desertification, drought and degradation of land and water
  • Increasing scientific achievement and output in the Islamic world so that the Muslim world can better compete with West in scientific innovation
  • The dangers of rising young populations across Muslim nations with dwindling employment opportunities

The final national policy proposals were informed by contributions from 120 scientists from across the Islamic world, and the key issue flagged is ‘protecting against water shortages.’

OIC reported that countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh could become uninhabitable by 2100, followed by the Middle East by as early as 2050.

The OIC Assistant Secretary General for Science and Technology (and former Ambassador of Pakistan to Saudi Arabia), Ambassador Naeem Khan, said:

“According to the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, water scarcity will increase in the 21st century. Water scarcity will be made worse by climate change – particularly in the Islamic-world where desertification, drought and degradation of land and water is already a major problem.”

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