President of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), H.E. Mr Taha Ayhan, paid an official visit to the COMSTECH Secretariat in Islamabad, where he was warmly received by the Coordinator General, H.E. Prof Dr Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary. The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation to advance youth development across the Islamic world through science, technology, and innovation.
Prof Dr Choudhary briefed the ICYF President on the mandate, flagship initiatives, and ongoing programmes of COMSTECH, highlighting its active engagement across OIC member states and strong collaborative linkages with observer countries, including Russia and Thailand, as well as special programmes with China. He emphasized COMSTECH’s expanding role in science, technology, innovation, health, higher education, and youth-focused capacity building.
Both sides reviewed past joint initiatives and held detailed discussions on future collaboration, with particular emphasis on ICYF’s vision for 2026, designated as the year of “Future-Ready Youth.” President Ayhan underscored the importance of preparing young people who are responsive, resilient, and capable of addressing emerging global challenges, describing COMSTECH as a strategic partner in achieving this goal.
During the meeting, the need to equip youth with comprehensive, future-oriented skills was stressed, and a proposal was discussed to launch a joint online skill-development programme in emerging technologies through a network of virtual universities. The initial phase of the initiative is expected to benefit around 5,000 young people annually from OIC member states.
The two sides also discussed proposals for virtual training in disaster preparedness and pandemic management, along with plans to organize the OIC Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Exhibition in Iran in Spring 2026. Prof Dr Choudhary further highlighted COMSTECH’s growing collaboration with Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Youth Programme as a successful national model that could be scaled up across the OIC region.
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The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the shared commitment of COMSTECH and ICYF, in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, to invest in youth as key drivers of innovation, resilience, and sustainable development throughout the Islamic world.