In searching for policy documents about the Muslim Science and Technology, we found an absolute dearth in the Muslim World of the kind of policy analytic tradition found in Western Science and Technology Policy. Simply speaking, with an exception of a few, I simply failed to find any documents that could be rigorously described as “policy documents”. Instead, I found declarations-often not followed into operational terms into policy documents-that could give an insight into the policy visions of the Pan-Islamic Scientific and Technological Enterprise.

I have chosen a few of the most important ones to put on this page. These are: The Makkah Declaration that outlines a 10-year Strategic Plan for OIC (2007), The Kuala Lumpur Declaration or Vision 1441 (2005), and the Islamabad Declaration (1983) with the hope that they would provide some insight into the world of the Muslim Science Policy Maker.

-Ed.

OIC 10-yr. Strategic Plan: The Makkah Declaration (2007)

Ten-year programme of action to meet the challenges facing the Muslim Ummah in the 21st century, Third Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference, Makkah al Mukarramah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 5-6 dhul qa’dah 1426 h 7-8 December 2005

Introduction

The Muslim World is faced with grave political, socio-economic, cultural and scientific challenges with implications for its unity, peace, security and development. OIC Member States would need to cooperate decisively in order to face these challenges and to take necessary initiatives to overcome them.

It has therefore become imperative for them to take joint actions within the framework of the OIC, based on common values and ideals so as to revive the Muslim Ummah’s pioneering role as a fine example of tolerance and enlightened moderation, and a force for international peace and harmony.

Conscious of these challenges and anxious to bring the Ummah out of its present situation into a new reality marked by greater solidarity and more prosperity to achieve its decisive objectives and aspirations, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Ibn Abdulaziz, addressed the pilgrims on Eid Al-Adha Day in 1425 H, and called upon the leaders of the Muslim Ummah to convene an Extraordinary Conference of the leaders of OIC Member States to consider the issues of solidarity and Joint Islamic Action.

In preparation for this Extraordinary Conference, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques invited the scholars and intellectuals of the Ummah to meet in Makkah Al-Mukarramah in order to consider the state of the Ummah, develop visions and concepts and propose optimal solutions to the challenges facing the Ummah in all fields. Accordingly, an elite group of Muslim scholars and intellectuals from different countries met in Makkah Al-Mukarramah from 5 to 7 Shaaban 1426 H (9-11 September 2005) and examined the challenges facing the Ummah in the intellectual, cultural, political, media, economic and developmental fields. They also formulated a number of recommendations to effectively address these challenges.

Based on the views and recommendations of scholars and intellectuals, convinced of the potential for the Muslim Ummah to achieve its renaissance, and in order to take practical steps towards strengthening the bonds of Islamic solidarity, achieve unity of ranks, and project the true image and noble values of Islam and its civilizational approaches, a Ten-Year Programme of Action has been developed, which reviews the most prominent challenges facing the Muslim world today, as well as ways and means to address them in an objective and realistic way in order to serve as a practicable and workable programme for all OIC Member States.

In the intellectual and political fields, there are major issues, such as establishing the values of moderation and tolerance, combating extremism, violence and terrorism, countering Islamophobia, achieving solidarity and cooperation among Member States, conflict prevention, the question of Palestine, the rights of Muslim minorities and communities, and rejecting unilateral sanctions. All of these are issues which require a renewed commitment to be addressed through effective strategies. In this context, special attention needs to be given to Africa, which is the most affected region, due to poverty, diseases, illiteracy, famine, and debt burden.

In the economic and scientific fields, the Ummah needs to achieve higher levels of development and prosperity, given its abundant economic resources and capacities. Priority must be given to enhancing economic cooperation, intra-OIC trade, alleviating poverty in OIC Member States, particularly in conflict-affected areas, and addressing issues related to globalization, economic liberalization, environment, and science and technology.

As for education and culture, there is an urgent need to tackle the spread of illiteracy and low standards of education at all levels as well as a need to redress ideological deviation. In the social field, it is imperative to focus on the rights of women, children and the family.

In implementing the new vision and goals for the Muslim world, the role of the OIC is central, which requires its reform in a way that meets the hopes and aspirations of the Ummah in the 21st Century.

To achieve this new vision and mission for a brighter, more prosperous and dignified future for the Ummah, We, the Kings, Heads of State and Heads of Government of the OIC Member States, decide to adopt the following Ten-Year Programme of Action, with a mid-term review, for immediate implementation:

INTELLECTUAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES

I. Political Will

1. Demonstrate the necessary political will in order to translate the anticipated new vision into concrete reality and call upon the Secretary-General to take necessary steps to submit practical proposals to the Member States for consideration and subsequent submission to the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

2. Urge Member States to fully implement the provisions of the OIC Charter and resolutions.

II. Solidarity and Joint Islamic Action

1. Demonstrate strong commitment and credibility in Joint Islamic Action by effective implementation of OIC resolutions, and to focus on the adoption of implementable resolutions until the Ummah reaches its objectives. In this context, the Secretary General should be enabled to fully play his role in following up the implementation of all OIC resolutions.

2. Affirm commitment to Islamic solidarity among the OIC Member States vis-à-vis the challenges and threats faced or experienced by the Muslim Ummah, and request the Secretary General to elaborate a general framework, in consultation with Member States, on their duties and obligations in this regard, including solidarity and support to Member States who are facing threats.

3. Participate and coordinate effectively in all regional and international forums, in order to protect and promote the collective interests of the Muslim Ummah, including UN reform, expanding the Security Council membership, and extending the necessary support to candidatures of OIC Member States to international and regional organizations.

4. Continue to support the issue of Al Quds Al Sharif as a central cause of the OIC and the Muslim Ummah.

5. Reaffirm previous resolutions and decisions of the OIC on Jammu and Kashmir, Cyprus, Nagorno Karabakh and Somalia and demonstrate solidarity with these Muslim peoples in their just causes.

III. Islam - The Religion of Moderation and Tolerance

1. Endeavour to spread the correct ideas about Islam as a religion of moderation and tolerance in order to fortify Muslims against extremism and narrow-mindedness.

2. Condemn extremism in all its forms and manifestations, as it contradicts Islamic and human values; and address its political, economic, social, and cultural root-causes, through development programmes and resolution of long-standing conflicts, which are to be faced with rationality, persuasion, and good counsel.

3. Emphasize that inter-civilizational dialogue, based on mutual respect and understanding, and equality amongst people are prerequisites for international peace and security, tolerance, peaceful co-existence, and participation in developing the mechanism for that dialogue.

4. Encourage inter-religious dialogue and underline common values and denominators.

5. Ensure the participation of the OIC and its specialized bodies, as a proactive partner in the dialogue among civilizations and religions, as well as in initiatives and efforts exerted in this regard.

6. Utilize the different mass media in order to serve and defend the causes of the Muslim Ummah, promote the noble principles and values of Islam, and correct misconceptions about it.

7. Strive for the teaching of Islamic education, culture, civilization, and the jurisprudence and literature of difference; call on Member States to cooperate amongst themselves in order to develop balanced educational curricula that promote values of tolerance, human rights, openness, and understanding of other religions and cultures; reject fanaticism and extremism, and establish pride in the Islamic identity.

IV. Multiplicity of Islamic Jurisprudence

1. Underline the need to strengthen dialogue among Islamic Schools, affirm the true faith of their followers and the inadmissibility of accusing them of heresy, as well as the inviolability of their blood, honor and property, as long as they believe in Allah Almighty, in the Prophet (PBUH) and in the other pillars of the Islamic faith, respect the pillars of Islam and do not deny any self-evident tenet of religion.

2. Condemn the audacity of those who are not qualified in issuing religious rulings (fatwa), thereby flouting the tenets and pillars of the religion and the well-established schools of jurisprudence. Consequently, compliance with the principle of fatwa, as approved by scholars, must be observed in line with the relevant provisions of the International Islamic Conference held in Amman in late July 2005 and in the recommendations of the Forum of Muslim Scholars and Intellectuals Preparatory to the Summit convened by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah Al Mukarramah from 9 to 11 September 2005.

V. The Islamic Fiqh Academy (IFA)

1. Entrust the Secretary General to invite a group from the members of the Islamic Fiqh Academy and eminent Islamic scholars from outside to prepare a detailed study to develop the IFA’s work in accordance with the following objectives, for consideration by the ICFM:

a. Coordinate religious ruling (fatwa) authorities in the Muslim world.

b. Counter religious and sectarian extremism, refrain from accusing Islamic schools of heresy, emphasize dialogue among them, and strengthen balance, moderation, and tolerance.

c. Refute fatwas that take Muslims away from the parameters and constants of their religion and its established schools.

VI. Combating terrorism

1. Emphasize the condemnation of terrorism in all its forms, and reject any justification or rationalization for it, consider it as a global phenomenon that is not connected with any religion, race, color, or country, and distinguish it from the legitimate resistance to foreign occupation, which does not sanction the killing of innocent civilians.

2. Introduce comprehensive qualitative changes to national laws and legislations in order to criminalize all terrorist practices as well as all practices to support, finance, or instigate terrorism.

3. Affirm commitment to the OIC Convention on Combating Terrorism, participate actively in international counter-terrorism efforts, and endeavor to implement the recommendations of the International Conference on Combating Terrorism, held in Riyadh in February 2005, including the establishment of an International Center for Combating Terrorism, as well as the recommendations of the Special Meeting of OIC Foreign Ministers on Terrorism, held in Kuala Lumpur in April 2002.

4. Support efforts to develop an International Code of Conduct to Combat Terrorism and to convene an international conference or a special session of the UN General Assembly to reiterate the international consensus on establishing a comprehensive strategy to combat this dangerous phenomenon.

VII. Combating Islamophobia

1. Emphasize the responsibility of the international community, including all governments, to ensure respect for all religions and combat their defamation.

2. Affirm the need to counter Islamophobia, through the establishment of an observatory at the OIC General Secretariat to monitor all forms of Islamophobia, issue an annual report thereon, and ensure cooperation with the relevant Governmental and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in order to counter Islamophobia.

3. Endeavor to have the United Nations adopt an international resolution to counter Islamophobia, and call upon all States to enact laws to counter it, including deterrent punishments.

4. Initiate a structured and sustained dialogue in order to project the true values of Islam and empower Muslim countries to help in the war against extremism and terrorism.

VIII. Human Rights and Good Governance:

1. Seriously endeavor to enlarge the scope of political participation, ensure equality, civil liberties and social justice and to promote transparency and accountability, and eliminate corruption in the OIC Member States.

2. Call upon the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers to consider the possibility of establishing an independent permanent body to promote human rights in the Member States, in accordance with the provisions of the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam and to also call for the elaboration of an OIC Charter for Human Rights. Introduce changes to national laws and regulations in order to guarantee the respect of human rights in Member States.

3. Mandate the OIC General Secretariat to cooperate with other international and regional organizations to guarantee the rights of Muslim Minorities and Communities in non-OIC Member States, and promote close cooperation with the Governments of the States hosting Muslim communities.

IX. Palestine and the Occupied Arab Territories

1. Make all efforts to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, the Syrian Golan and the full completion of the Israeli withdrawal from all remaining Lebanese territories, in compliance with Security Council Resolution 425, and extend effective support for the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and the establishment of their independent State with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.

2. Maintain a united stand on the comprehensive resolution of the Palestinian question according to OIC resolutions, UN resolutions, including UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338, 1515 and UN General Assembly Resolution 194, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the Roadmap, in coordination and consultation with the UN, the Quartet, and other stakeholders, such as to make full withdrawal as a prerequisite for establishing normal relations with Israel, and for providing the OIC with a greater role in establishing peace.
3. Emphasize the central importance of the cause of Al-Quds for the Muslim Ummah, the need to establish the Palestinian rights in the city, preserve its heritage as well as its Arab and Islamic identity as a symbol of solidarity and the meeting point of divine religions; underline the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque and its premises against violations and the need to protect the other Islamic and Christian holy places, counter the judaization of the Holy City, and support the efforts of Al-Quds Committee under the chairmanship of His Majesty King Mohamed VI; call for support to Baytmal Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Fund, support the steadfastness of Al-Quds population and institutions, and establish Al-Aqsa University in Al-Quds Al-Sharif.

4. Extend full support to the Palestinian Authority in its efforts to negotiate for the inalienable Palestinian rights and extend necessary assistance to ensure control of all Palestinian territories, international crossings, reopen Gaza airport and seaport, and connect Gaza with the West Bank in order to ensure free movement of the Palestinians.

5. Work together with the international community to compel Israel to stop and dismantle its settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and the occupied Syrian Golan; remove the racist separation Wall built inside the Palestinian territories, including within and around the city of Al-Quds, in accordance with the relevant UN resolutions and the Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

X. Conflict Prevention, Conflict Resolution and Post-conflict Peace Building

1. Strengthen the role of the OIC in conflict prevention, confidence-building, peacekeeping, conflict resolution and post-conflict rehabilitation in OIC Member States as well as in conflict situations involving Muslim communities.

2. Enhance cooperation among the OIC Member States and between the OIC and international and regional organizations in order to protect the rights and interests of the Member States in conflict prevention, conflict resolution, and post-conflict peace-building.

XI. Reform of the OIC

1. Reform the OIC through restructuring, and consider changing its name, review its Charter and activities and provide it with highly qualified manpower, in such a manner as to promote its role, reactivate its institutions and strengthen its relations with the officially recognized NGOs in the OIC Member States; empower the Secretary-General to discharge his duties and provide him with sufficient flexibility and the resources that enable him to carry out the tasks assigned to him and strengthen all OIC specialized and affiliated organs in order to allow them to play their aspired role, and reinforce coordination with the General Secretariat, and request it to review the activities of these organs and recommend the dissolution of those that prove to be inefficient.

2. Establish a mechanism for the follow-up of resolutions by creating an Executive Body, comprising the Summit and Ministerial Troikas, the OIC host country, and the General Secretariat. The Member States concerned should be invited to participate in the deliberations of these meetings.

3. Mandate the Secretary-General to prepare a study to strengthen the role of Islamic Solidarity Fund and develop it, and submit the study to the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers.

4. Urge Member States to pay in full and on time their mandatory contributions to the General Secretariat and Subsidiary Organs, in accordance with relevant resolutions, in order to enable Member States to avail themselves of the facilities and services offered by OIC subsidiary organs and specialized and affiliated institutions.

2. DEVELOPMENT, SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND SCIENTIFIC ISSUES

I. Economic Cooperation

1. Call upon the Member States to sign and ratify all existing OIC trade and economic agreements, and to implement the provisions of the relevant OIC Plan of Action to Strengthen Economic and Commercial Cooperation among OIC Member States.

2. Mandate COMCEC to promote measures to expand the scope of intra-OIC trade, and to consider the possibility of establishing a Free Trade Area between the Member States in order to achieve greater economic integration to raise it to a percentage of 20% of the overall trade volume during the period covered by the plan, and call on the Member States to support its activities and to participate in those activities at the highest possible level with delegations possessing the necessary expertise.

3. Promote endeavors for institutionalized and enhanced cooperation between OIC and regional and international institutions working in the economic and commercial fields.

4. Support OIC Member States in their efforts to accede to the World Trade Organization (WTO), and promote concerted positions between the Member States within the WTO.

5. Call upon the OIC Member States to facilitate the freedom of movement of businessmen and investors across their borders.

6. Support expanding electronic commerce among the OIC Member States and call on the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry to strengthen its activities in the field of data and expertise exchanges between chambers of commerce of the Member States.

7. Call upon the Member States to coordinate their environmental policies and positions in international environmental fora so as to prevent any adverse effects of such policies on their economic development.

II. Supporting the Islamic Development Bank (IDB)

1. Establish a special fund within the IDB in order to help address and alleviate poverty, and provide job opportunities; and commission the IDB Board of Governors to establish this special fund, including mechanisms for its financing.

2. Mandate the Islamic Development Bank to coordinate with the OIC General Secretariat in order to make the necessary contacts with the World Health Organization and other relevant institutions to draw up a programme for combating diseases and epidemics, to be financed through the special fund that will be created within the IDB.

3.Commission the IDB Board of Governors to take necessary measures for ensuring a substantial increase in the Bank’s authorized, subscribed, and paid-up capital, so as to enable it to strengthen its role in providing financial support and technical assistance to OIC Member States, and strengthen the Islamic Corporation for Trade Finance recently established within the IDB.

4. Urge the IDB to develop its mechanisms and programmes aimed at cooperation with the private sector and to consider streamlining and activating its decision-making process.

5. Urge the IDB and its institutions to promote investment opportunities and intra-OIC trade, and to conduct other feasibility studies to provide the necessary information to develop and promote joint ventures.

III. Social solidarity in the face of natural disasters

1. Islam advocates solidarity with, and assistance to, all the needy without discrimination, which requires the Islamic States to develop and adopt a clear strategy on Islamic relief action and support the trend towards cooperation and coordination between individual relief efforts of Islamic States and Islamic civil society institutions on the one hand, and international civil society institutions and organizations on the other hand.

2. Help countries affected by these disasters to rebuild their buffer stocks.

IV. Supporting development and poverty alleviation in Africa

1. Promote activities aimed at achieving economic and social development in African countries, including supporting industrialization, energizing trade and investment, transferring technology, alleviating their debt burden and poverty, and eradicating diseases; welcome the New Economic Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), adopt to this end, a special programme for the development of Africa.

2. Call upon the Member States to participate in international efforts to support programmes aimed at alleviating poverty and capacity-building in the Least-Developed Member States of the OIC.

3. Urge donor Member States to cancel bilateral and multilateral debts to low-income Member States.

4. Urge international specialized institutions and organizations to exert greater efforts to alleviate poverty in the Least-Developed Member States and assist Muslim societies, the refugees and displaced in the OIC Member States, and Muslim Minorities and Communities in non-OIC Member States; urge States to contribute to the World Fund for Solidarity and Combating Poverty.

V. Higher Education, Science and Technology

1.Effectively improve and reform educational institutions and curricula in all levels, link postgraduate studies to the comprehensive development plans of the Islamic World. At the same time, priority should be given to science and technology and facilitating academic interaction and exchange of knowledge among the academic institutions of Member States, and urge the Member States to strive for quality education that promotes creativity, innovation, and research and development

2. Assimilate highly-qualified Muslims within the Muslim World, develop a comprehensive strategy in order to utilize their expertise and prevent brain migration phenomenon.

3. Entrust the General Secretariat to study the creation of an OIC Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievements by Muslim scientists.

4. Call upon Islamic countries to encourage research and development programmes, taking into account that the global percentage of this activity is 2% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and request Member States to ensure that their individual contribution is not inferior to half of this percentage.

5. Take advantage of the important results of the World Summit on Information Society, held in Tunis, in which all Muslim States actively participated with a view to close the digital gap between the developed and developing States and request the General Secretariat to follow up these results in order to build the capacities of Member States to adhere to the information society which, in turn, will sustain development in Muslim States.

6. Encourage public and private national research institutions to invest in technology capacity-building, in areas of advanced technologies, such as the acquisition of nuclear technology for peaceful uses.

7. Review the performance of the OIC-affiliated universities so as to improve their effectiveness and efficiency, and call for participation in the two Waqfs (Endowments) dedicated to the two universities in Niger and Uganda, and provide support to the International Islamic University in Malaysia.

8. Call upon the Member States to extend enhanced support to the Islamic University of Technology in Bangladesh in order to enable it to contribute more towards capacity building of the OIC Member States through human resources development.

9. Urge the IDB to further enhance its programme of scholarships for outstanding students and Hi-Tech specializations aimed at developing the scientific, technical, and research capabilities of scientists and researchers in the Member States.

VI. Rights of Women, Youth, Children, and the Family in the Muslim World

1. Strengthen laws aimed at enhancing the advancement of women in Muslim societies in economic, cultural, social, and political fields, in accordance with Islamic values of justice and equality; and aimed also at protecting women from all forms of violence and discrimination and adhering to the provisions of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women, in line with the Islamic values of justice and equality.

2. Give special attention to women’s education and female literacy.

3. Expedite developing “The Covenant on the Rights of Women in Islam”, in accordance with Resolution No. 60/27-P and the Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam.

4. Strive to provide free and quality basic education for all children.

5. Strengthen laws aimed at preserving the rights of children, enjoying the highest possible health levels, taking effective measures in order to eradicate poliomyelitis and protect them from all forms of violence and exploitation.

6. Encourage the Member States to sign and ratify the OIC Covenant on the Rights of the Child in Islam, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child in Islam, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and its annexed Optional Protocols, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and its Optional Protocol with regard to the Girl Child.

7. Call upon all Member States to support and promote youth programmes and youth forums.

8. Call upon the OIC to contribute towards projecting Islam as a religion that guarantees full protection of women’s rights and encourages their participation in all walks of life.

9. Accord necessary attention to the family as the principal nucleus of the Muslim society, exert all possible efforts, at all levels, to face up to the contemporary social challenges confronting the Muslim family and affecting its cohesion, on the basis of Islamic values.

10. Establish a Division responsible for Family Affairs within the framework of the General Secretariat’s restructuring.

VII. Cultural and Information Exchange among Member States

1. Call upon TV channels and the mass media to deal with international mass media effectively in order to enable the Muslim world to express its perspective on international developments. Call on the mass media in Member States, including satellite channels, to agree on a Code of Ethics that caters for diversity and pluralism and safeguards the Ummah’s values and interests. Mandate the Secretary-General to prepare a report to evaluate the current situation of IINA, ISBO, and the OIC Information Department; consider ways and means to activate the role and mechanisms of the media within the framework of the OIC System; and submit proposals, in this regard, to the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers for consideration. Accord attention to Arabic as the language of Qur’an, develop programmes for translation between the languages of the Muslim Ummah, and implement programs of cultural exchanges among the OIC Member States, including Observer States.

2. Strengthen COMIAC in order to give more care to information and cultural issues in Member States. In this context, the Member States should voluntarily support digital solidarity and allow the OIC to actively participate in the efforts to reduce the digital gap.

Vision 1441: The Kuala Lumpur Declaration (2005)

MALAYSIA – ISLAMIC ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (IAS) KUALA LUMPUR DECLARATION
on Science, Technology and Innovation for Socio-economic Development of
OIC–Member Countries: Towards Vision 1441
adopted at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
on
14 Safar 1426
24 March 2005

PREAMBLE

WHEREAS the quest for knowledge is a pillar of the Islamic Code of Belief, and knowledge and its pursuit has assumed augmented importance in an increasingly knowledge driven world economy;

WHEREAS realising prosperity and socio-economic advancement for people is at the core of the Islamic governance philosophy;

WHEREAS the doctrines of Islam explicitly emphasize that human-beings’ relation to nature should be one of stewardship and not of unrestricted mastery, and as Islam promotes a balance between all living creatures and their life-sustaining environment;

WHEREAS Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and developing countries vary in their Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) outlooks, as some have developed a vision that interlinks their future to their STI development, and others due, among other considerations, the lack of political will, have not given due priority to this issue;

WHEREAS for all, including countries of the OIC, concepts such as sustainability and analytical parameters such as STI indicators, provide conceptual frameworks for linking Research and Development (R&D) to societal outcomes, thus invariably leading towards the implementation of an R&D policy that addresses the complex interconnections among technological advances and societal responses and needs;

AND WHEREAS Vision 1441 declares that
‘OIC member states are committed to become a community that values knowledge and is competent in utilizing and advancing S&T to enhance the socio-economic well-being of the Ummah,’

WE, THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE MALAYSIA – ISLAMIC ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (IAS) 2005 SCIENCE CONFERENCE;

CONVINCED that science is a major asset of humanity, an asset that in the 21st century offers new opportunities and faces new challenges; challenges related to knowledge and socio-economic advancement, wealth creation, the prevalence of sustainable development, prevention/management of natural disaster; as well as the promotion of justice and tolerance;
CONSCIOUS of the fact that S&T is the primary force behind the advancement of human civilisation, and productivity gains and achievements of humankind have been derived chiefly from innovation based on scientific exploration as well as technological and engineering innovations, and moreover extensive applications of S&T in the social life of humankind;
COGNIZANT of the fact that the international science/academic community must lead the way in bridging prevailing civilisational, social, economic, and even political divides between the peoples of the world. The OIC science community must be an instigator of such a process,
MOREOVER,

BEING CONCERNED by the indifference shown by executive decision-makers in many OIC Countries to the role of STI in realising national aspirations and well-being;
BEING CONCERNED by the fact that the majority of OIC-Countries still lack comprehensive STI policies, and strategies emanating therefrom, the objective of which is to realise some level of national prosperity, security and national self-fulfilment;
NOTING WITH CONCERN the limited number of centres of excellence and the general deficiency of S&T systems in many OIC member countries, especially those centres that are involved in specific disciplines that especially promote international collaboration that taps Muslim expertise worldwide;
NOTING WITH CONCERN the fact that very few OIC universities are ranked among the World’s Top 500 universities and the lack of STI-educational programmes at all levels of education in most OIC countries, a reflection of the general state of backwardness in which the Ummah lives,
NOW THEREFORE,

PURSUANT to the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Science and Technology for Socioeconomic Well-Being of the Ummah, and VISION 1441 originating from it, adopted by the 10th Session of the OIC Summit, held in Putrajaya, Malaysia, from 10-18 October 2003; and
COMMITTED to work towards the promotion of the development of science and technology by increasing the allocation of resources to that end, developing appropriate institutional frameworks and promoting technology through advanced and quality education;
AFFIRM AND SEEK to strengthen the role of the OIC and its related agencies in mainstreaming the positive benefits of science and technology for OIC and other developing countries,
MOREOVER,

APPRECIATING that at the dawn of the 21st century, the world of science and higher education is marked by a complex struggle between continuity and change, and the rise of new challenges, opportunities and new modes of ‘learning to learn, ’ and that the idea of reform, innovation, transformation and evolution rather than revolution, indicating that higher education and science are in ferment in creating, constructing and ultimately benefiting from knowledge;
NOTING that in responding to the growing demands of the market-forces of the Knowledge-based or K-economy, a fresh-look is needed to re-examine the delivery of higher education in OIC and developing countries in terms of quality and relevance, to re-examine scientific development and acquisition capacity as well as technology application in the productive sectors of the economy;
DECLARING that the Asian Tsunami was the greatest humanitarian disaster in recent world history, which is even more tragic because many agencies have pointed out in the past that the international community had failed to construct a viable method for dealing effectively with the humanitarian dimensions of disasters,
THE SCIENTISTS, TECHNOLOGISTS AND POLICY-MAKERS PRESENT AT THE MEETING AT KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, DURING 21-24 MARCH 2005, HEREBY ADOPT THE MALAYSIA - IAS 2005 KUALA LUMPUR DECLARATION AS A PLATFORM FOR THE PROMOTION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AMONG THE MEMBER STATES OF THE ORGANISATION OF THE ISLAMIC CONFERENCE (OIC) COUNTRIES, THUS:

RECOGNIZE the significant obstacles to science and technology in OIC-Countries, including, inter alia, lack or inadequacy of up-to-date STI Policies, lack or inadequacy of resources, infrastructure and institutions, gender imbalance in Science and Technology, lack of trained personnel, prohibitive costs of acquiring knowledge and technology, and barriers to the transfer of knowledge, personnel and technologies from developed to developing countries. Tangible steps to address these obstacles and facilitate the transfer of resources to enhance domestic capacity building in developing economies must be instituted;
EMPHASIZE with deep concern the existing and deepening disparities between the developed and developing world in their capacity to produce scientific and technological knowledge in support of social and economic development;
EXPRESS profound concern at the persistence and prevalence of the scourge of poverty on a global scale and also at the inadequate, intangible results of existing poverty alleviation and eradication strategies, and cognizant of the pernicious impact of poverty on scientific and technological progress and social and economic development of nations, the elimination of poverty must be a strategic objective and priority of governments and scientific communities;
CONSIDER that more attention and new and additional resources should be devoted by the international community to developing countries’ concerns, and uses of scientific knowledge appropriate to, and to the direct benefit of, the developing world, and that greater recognition of the special needs of developing countries in science and technology, and greater understanding, consideration and cooperation among Member States of the OIC and other countries for the different needs and priorities of developing countries in respect of new technologies, is required;
RECOGNIZE that although market oriented research would be accorded attention, basic research must not be sidelined;
EMPHASIZE the key roles played by contemporary applied and basic sciences education for gaining mastery in the transformational technologies of information technology, biotechnology, and nanotechnology;
REAFFIRM the commitment to the implementation of specific actions at the national and international levels including, inter alia, commitment at the highest level to S&T; sizeable increase in R&D expenditure, and the promotion of the central role of the university as originator of scientific output. New approaches such as the ‘Triple Helix’ approach are necessary to enhance greater linkage among government, university and industry in order to share resources and benefit;
REAFFIRM our support to scientific and technological cooperation among developing countries and reiterate our commitment to cooperation among the OIC-Member States. We call for the exchange of scientific experiences and of technologies with a view to intensifying cooperation and delivering real benefits among developing countries, especially involving countries that have developed significant expertise in S&T Policy development, S&T infrastructure, biotechnology, and information technology;
CALL UPON OIC-Member Countries to ensure that that the pursuit of science must only focus on the attainment of knowledge but also to realise socio-economic goals;
CALL UPON member states of the WTO to work towards the recognition that the intellectual property system should respond to the development needs of the developing countries and become more supportive of their science and technological objectives;
INVITE the Chairman of the OIC and the OIC Secretary General, as required, to also initiate or undertake consultations for the implementation of the following decisions, and to report on the results of his consultations to the forthcoming Meeting of the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the OIC-Countries (ICFM):

Establishment of a Trust Fund for the promotion and exchange of knowledge and technology in OIC-Member Countries. To this end, governments, the private sector, foundations and other organizations are encouraged to provide seed money for the Fund; and
Encourage the establishment of a consortium comprising representatives from the governments, the private sector and other relevant organizations to promote joint ventures in the South in the field of science and technology;
Establish an inventory of publications and documents produced by OIC STI agencies since 1981 from which information and past experiences and programmes could be accessed and utilised to speed national activities aimed at realising Vision 1441;
CALL for an effective implementation of this Declaration and invite the Chairman of the OIC and the concerned agencies to accelerate the necessary practical modalities for the follow-up of the 2003 Kuala Lumpur Conference outcome in close coordination with the relevant OIC bodies and agencies, and through:

a) Setting up of three virtual working groups on ICT, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology, with a view to implementing the provisions of IAS Declarations and relevant recommendations of Vision 1441 related to these transformational technologies; and

b) Development of an Internet-based communication mechanism among the OIC Vision 1441 Task Force resource persons and institutions to reduce costs and to enhance the work of the Task Force.

c) Accelerate the provision of core ICT infrastructure, increased access and reduced costs nationally and regionally, and increase connectivity and physical access to ICT infrastructure, including the development and use of low cost hardware devices and software, especially open source;

d) Accelerate and intensify the provision of content and services for the public good, including e-government, health, education, agriculture, science and technology, culture and the arts, and encourage and promote the publication of quality research material of OIC scientists on the Internet;

e) Strengthen and enlarge programmes in developing countries for human resources, skills and knowledge in ICT;

f) Work towards a harmonized OIC position for and active engagement in phase II of the World Summit on Information Society; which will be held in Tunis in 2005,
AND CALL UPON the leaders and decision-makers of Islamic countries to:

MAINTAIN through the OIC a central repository of information relating to all phases of disaster management: prevention, preparedness relief and rehabilitation. Such a body should work with its national counter-parts. Governments should have national disaster plans. A mechanism to meet at the Islamic Council of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) as and when such an event strikes to provide and co-ordinate relief efforts must be instituted;
ALLOCATE more resources to science education, with a view to building up a scientific and technological human resource base capable of adapting and developing new technologies;
ADOPT an integrated approach to scientific research and development and technology utilisation and establish the necessary technology management processes for the purpose,
AND FURTHER CALL UPON the relevant national OIC agencies and other OIC organisations to:

STRENGTHEN specialized R&D institutions, the output of which can eventually be smoothly transformed into marketable technological products;
INTRODUCE appropriate legislation and incentives, including tax relief and customs exemptions, to promote the development of market oriented technology products;
PROMOTE and enhance inborn curiosity and inquisitiveness among the young through developing a “creativity movement” at national levels to create conducive environment at home, at school and universities, and to develop OIC-wide creativity programmes;
ENCOURAGE creative approaches to R&D and R&D management, and to allow cross fertilization of ideas and develop programmes to train competent R&D managers, as well as create mechanisms for inter-institution collaboration nationally and OIC-wide;
DEVELOP financial, business, and entrepreneurial skills through education and hands-on experience through in-school and after-school programmes, and through developing specialised post-school business skills programmes;
ESTABLISH special young entrepreneur training programmes with the help, support, and involvement of the private sector and the international entrepreneurs community;
CREATE the appropriate environment and financial and regulatory frameworks for development of new business ventures and
establish business incubators appropriate for the need of the country;
ESTABLISH early financing mechanism to support entrepreneurs and promote development of venture capital companies and technology;
ENCOURAGE and support the launch and support of OIC-wide funds for innovation-based industrial ventures;
DEVELOP databases of human resources involved in innovation and its appropriate applications in OIC countries to facilitate appraisal of national strengths and weaknesses,
FURTHERMORE,

FACILITATE opportunities for scientists of the countries of the South in terms of under-graduate, post-graduate and post-doctorate studies in the North and other parts of the South as a means of building up the critical mass of scientists and technologists in poorer countries;
IDENTIFY AND INTERACT WITH champions of science at the institutional, national, regional, OIC and international levels, to promote the cause of science for development;
ESTABLISH national academies of sciences in their countries, or where such independent entities exist strengthen them, so that they may act as independent advisory bodies to their respective governments, and strengthen academic and scientific links with international science academies, and other scientific bodies worldwide,
MOREOVER, THE 2005 MALAYSIA - IAS SCIENCE CONFERENCE:

SUPPORTS the implementation of the recommendations and action plan of Vision 1441, and urges all OIC member countries to contribute generously to the newly established OIC Science and Technology Fund, and commends highly the efforts of Pakistan and the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Co-operation (COMSTECH) in launching this timely initiative; and

EXTENDS its appreciation to Malaysia for hosting the conference; to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Malaysia; Academy Science Malaysia, for undertaking local arrangements; Al-Bukhary Foundation and Perdana Leadership Foundation for the local sponsorship of the event; the Islamic Development Bank, COMSTECH, Pakistan Academy of Sciences, and Sasakawa Peace Foundation Japan for generously financing this international event.

The Islamabad Declaration (1983)

Islamabad Declaration on Science and Technology is an outcome of four-days deliberations and discussions by the OIC member sates in a meeting held at Islamabad in 1983. This Declaration serves as a guiding principle and a source of planning for the future course of action by COMSTECH. The Islamabad Declaration on Science and Technology articulates the commitment of the OIC member sates for achieving modernization, self-reliance, self sufficiency, security and harmonious development through a sustained and extensive effort in science and technology.

PREAMBLE

WHEREAS Allah is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, and Muhammad, the last of His Prophets (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) is a blessing for mankind;

WHEREAS the Holy Quran invites mankind to observe, reflect and reason, and the Prophet of Islam (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) has made the acquisition of knowledge a duty of every Muslim;

WHEREAS Allah has made knowledge the source of abundant good for man and it is ordained that all knowledge be used for beneficent purposes;

WHEREAS the unity of God is the basic Islamic belief, from which flows the unity of divine law and of all knowledge, the temporal and the sacred being facets of the same reality;

The members of the OIC Standing Committee on Science and Technology and the Muslim scientists attending this meeting call upon all Muslim men and women to acquire and assimilate scientific knowledge to re-kindle the flame of inquiry and innovation in the Muslim Ummah and to harness science and technology for the good of mankind, within the value-frame-work of Islam.

CONVINCED of the imperative need to set this action in motion, we hereby adopt the following declaration, referred to hereinafter as the Islamabad Declaration on Science and Technology.

DECLARATION

In view of the present state of science and technology in the Islamic world;

Recognizing the decisive role of science-based technologies in socio-cultural progress, economic viability, and defense capability of the Ummah;

Recognizing that science flourishes only where accepted, nurtured and supported;

Considering that modern science is a highly inter-dependent activity requiring a vigorous community of scientists and a supporting society that allows constant intellectual challenge and stimulus;

Realizing the massive technological dependency of the Muslim Ummah and its serious repercussions on the security, socio-economic progress and cultural integrity;

Noting further that public policies in the Muslim countries fall short of supporting the emergence and utilization of indigenous technologies;

Realizing that cooperation in science has deep roots in the history and the basic principles of the Ummah, and recognizing the international character of S&T and that cooperation with the technologically advanced nations is critical to the progress of S&T in the Islamic countries;

Considering the powerful impact and challenge of new scientific discoveries and emerging technologies on the security, economy and cultural integrity of the Ummah;

Realizing that scientific renaissance constitutes an essential element in Islamic resurgence;

Recognizing that the revival of science in the Muslim world rests on the building up of efficient national S&T Systems and the unity, solidarity and cooperation among Islamic countries;

Therefore we,

Urge all Muslims to work for the transformation of the Ummah into an enlightened, scientifically creative and innovative society;

Urge the Islamic countries to make firm commitments and pursue steadfastly public policies and plans for the development and utilization of indigenous technologies and the achievement of self-reliance in technology.

Appeal to the Islamic countries to devote necessary resources for the development of national S&T systems of requisite size and excellence; and to develop the capability in basic sciences and critical high technologies for rapid modernization and self-reliant growth.

Appeal to the Islamic countries to develop the educational, cultural, political and social climate congenial to scientific activity and identify, train and utilize gifted and creative individuals for scientific work by providing them with an environment conducive to freedom of thought and initiative.

Pledge ourselves to promote international scientific and technological cooperation, in particular within the Islamic countries, by fostering lasting links among them.

Urge the Muslim states to give full support to existing institutions established for Science, Technology and Development by OIC and fulfill their obligations to enable them to coordinate our common action in the fields of scientific research and technological development.

Urge the Islamic countries to exercise their moral and spiritual authority, in working for the beneficent application of science and technology, to encourage continued studies on the future of S&T in the Muslim Ummah and to extend full cooperation to communities and persons of good-will working for equity, justice and peace on earth.

Resolve to achieve, by the end of the century, a critical size and a qualitative excellence for the Islamic Science and Technology System, to be able to enter the 21st Century as an equal partner to others in the realm of science and technology.

Plan of Action

On the basis of the the Islamabad Declaration on Science and Technology a Twenty-year Perspective Plan for the development of science and technology in the OIC region was prepared by COMSTECH and approved by the Fourth Islamic Summit held in Casablanca.

The Plan is drawn, keeping in view the following three objectives:
Training and development of scientific and technical human resource. Maximum participation of OIC scientists in collaborative and cooperative research.



Strengthening of national and regional institutions of science and technology in vital scientific areas.


The plan approaches the task by identifying the following key programme areas: Food and Agriculture; Health; Manpower Development; Research and Development; Information and Documentation; Development of Current and Future Technologies; Development of Resources and Energy.

The Plan proposes to initiate certain projects and operational activities in these areas on a continuing basis for meeting the needs of OIC Member States and for raising their capability to solve their problems.

In order to pool the intellectual resources of the OIC member states the Plan envesiged establishment of an Islamic Academy of Sciences (IAS) for tapping ideas from senior scientists of the region. This has been acheived and IAS (www.ias-worldwide.org) has held eight conferences to discuss a number of issues facing member states. Ias has published Details of IAS conferences and odate deliberated on a number of issues important intellectual resource source of intellectual and an Islamic Federation of Research Institutes (IFRI) as well as the Association of the Universities of Muslim countries. A Center for Science Policy and Techno economic studies was also envisaged in the Plan.

The Plan also proposed the progressive establishment of centers of excellence in key areas of high technology in different Member States to serve their common needs.

The main objective Of COMSTECH is to promote cooperation and collaboration amongst the Muslim countries in the fields of science and technology in order to achieve a collective problem solving capability within the Muslim world. The strategy used to achieve this objective is to assist the Member States of OIC in building of a sizeable and viable science and technology system in their own countries and secondly to help create effective institutional structures in high technology areas at regional and Ummah levels to meet the common needs of manpower training, planning, technology transfer and research and development in the Member States.

Accordingly, a modest programme of action has been planned in which COMSTECH plays a catalytic role in initiating a change and providing critical impetus to the science and technology systems of individual countries. It also plays a synergic role in complementing and updating the programme effort already in progress in the Member States. Finally it plays a cooperative role in bringing together the Member States to pool their intellectual resources for solving the problems of the Muslim world requiring science and technology for their solution. In the past few years COMSTECH has made some efforts toward this objective and will continue the same strategy in future.

The COMSTECH Programme of Action is prepared on a biennial basis in accordance with the requirements of the 20-year Perspective Plan of Action, approved by the Islamic Summit in 1984 and the guidelines and strategy approved at the Fifth Islamic Summit in 1987. A number of operational activities are planned to meet the objectives of the Plan, such as the holding of seminars and workshops, preparation of profiles and reports, exchange of information, scientometric and futuristic studies, transfer of technology, survey of resources, research support, data bases and institution building.

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