On 18 February 2022, the Director General of IOFS H.E. Mr. Yerlan A. Baidaulet held another day of important working meetings in Dubai, UAE.
The Director General of IOFS accompanied by Kazakhstan’s General Consular to UAE Mr. Rauan Zhumabek and IOFS Program Manager Mr. Bakytzhan Arystanbek conducted a detailed meeting with representatives of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), including the Head of Food Security Office, the IOFS Executive Board Member and Head of IOFS Financial Control Committee. The sides elaborated on the current status of the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between IOFS and UAE Government, and reviewed the aspects of its further strengthening in 2022. In that respect, considering the IOFS activities under the Program “Year of Africa”, the MOCCAE officials proposed to implement these activities with the support of the UAE Foreign Aid under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development. At the end, the sides agreed to enhance the mutual cooperation and consider other areas of collaboration, such as Climate Impact/Resource Management, in the MoU.
In addition, the Director General along with the IOFS Director Programmes and Projects Office met with representatives of International Center of Climate Change Technologies (ICCCT), registered in UAE. ICCCT staff presented the Center’s initiatives on providing weather management services and its alignment with the food security aspects. Particularly, CEO of ICCCT, Mr. Altay Ainabek elaborated on the project to provide atmospheric water resources to the arid regions using the technology of creating precipitation and controlling the weather called “Clear Sky Manager”. Another project was introduced on the integrated solution to effectively attract, catch and collect locust specimens, that allow to provide reliable protection of territory of countries suffering from seasonal locust invasion and consequently crating farms that produce locust protein. The IOFS thanked ICCCT for presentations and would consider its projects for incorporation into programs, and suggested for possible presentation of these initiatives at the platform of UN FCCC COP 27 in 2022.
On 19 February, the IOFS delegation led by the Director General conducted an extended meeting with the delegation of Dubai International Humanitarian Aid & Development (DIHAD) headed by the Chairman of DIHAD H.E. Dr. Abdul Salam Al Madani. DIHAD, established in 2004 and since then organized its Annual Conference under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and provides a platform where assistance providers can interface with relevant actors from the corporate and governmental sectors with a view to creating meaningful synergies in support of those in need. The IOFS Director General gave an overview of IOFS foundation as the OIC specialized institution, IOFS Strategic Framework and IOFS Strategy 2031. Particular attention was given to the IOFS humanitarian programs and Afghanistan Food Security Programme. The sides discussed the common areas of cooperation and participation of IOFS within annual DIHAD activities.
