Mamnoon calls for increased focus on science education

ASTANA: President Mamnoon Hussain urged the Muslim world to give due priority to science and technology to meet challenges of the new era.

He was addressing the inaugural session of the first ever summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation on science and technology, which began in Kazakhstan capital Astana on Sunday.

The heads of state and government from around twenty-two Muslim states and delegates from around fifty-seven states are attending the summit.

The president said rapid changes are taking place in the fields of science and technology on innovation basis.

He emphasized the need for enhanced focus of the Muslim world to improve the agricultural production and develop agricultural technology sector.

He said with solid foundations of education and skilled healthy manpower, it will be possible to focus on higher education and research in emerging areas of science and technology.

Mamnoon Hussain said that unity among the Muslim world is very imperative for development, prosperity and a safe future for the new generation.

He said we as a Muslim community have failed to pay attention to education sector for the last several centuries. He said it is very crucial for the Muslim world to be self-sufficient in political and socio-economic sector to revive the golden era of education.

Addressing the summit, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan said we cannot make progress without peace.

He said the Muslim world needs unity and integrity. The Muslim countries will have to work together against violence in Myanmar, he added

He said international community should also cooperate with us in this regard. He further said Science and technology summits should be held regularly.

Addressing the summit, president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev said Islam is spreading rapidly in the world.

He said in the world of science, there are two Nobel Prize-winning personalities from the Muslim world, the one is from Pakistan and the other from Egypt.

The summit will explore how the Muslim world could complete developed world in the science and technology field.