SESRIC participated in the 7^th Meeting of the Steering Committee for the OIC STI Agenda 2026 held on 11–12 February 2026 in Islamabad.

The meeting brought together member institutions of the Committee to review the progress of ongoing initiatives, exchange experiences, and discuss upcoming programmes in the field of science, technology, and innovation. Mr. Mazhar HUSSAIN, Director of Economic and Social Research, represented SESRIC at the meeting.

As the STI Agenda 2026 is set to conclude this year, a key objective of the meeting was to deliberate and consult on the development of its successor framework, including its priority areas, strategic directions, and implementation modalities for the post-2026 period. Discussions also addressed the achievements attained under the current Agenda, as well as the challenges encountered in its implementation.

During the meeting, Mr. HUSSAIN briefed the participants on SESRIC’s technical activities and programmes implemented in the field of science and technology since the previous Steering Committee meeting. He highlighted SESRIC’s continued contribution to advancing the objectives of the STI Agenda 2026 through the provision of reliable data, evidence-based research, and the organisation of capacity-building activities across key sectors, including STI, education, health, water, agriculture, environment, and energy.

The meeting also highlighted the preparation of a comprehensive statistical evaluation of the implementation of the STI Agenda 2026, to be jointly undertaken by COMSTECH and SESRIC during 2026. The evaluation will provide an evidence-based assessment of the progress achieved under the Agenda, identify gaps and lessons learned, and support the formulation of the successor STI framework.

The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to accelerating implementation efforts during the remaining period of the STI Agenda 2026, while laying a solid foundation for its successor framework, with a view to further strengthening science, technology, and innovation cooperation among OIC countries.

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