Jeddah, (UNA-OIC) – The Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen, on 3rd December 2020, urged for more efforts to address food insecurity and hunger in OIC Member States as the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these challenges.
The Secretary General’s appeal was made in his address to the 3rd Meeting of the General Assembly of Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS). The statement was delivered by Amb. Tarig Ali Bakheet, OIC Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs.
The Secretary General pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic carries a severe impact on food systems, social protection, and economic development across the OIC region. He underscored the relevance of the active exchange of good practices amongst Member States, enhancing ownership of IOFS’s programs and activities by its Member States, as well as the allocation of adequate national budgetary resources to agricultural and rural development, as they represent requisite measures towards enhancing food security and promoting sustained agricultural development.
The IOSF, a specialized institution of the OIC, deals with agriculture and food security.
