MUSCAT: The Regional Forum of Parliamentarians in Science and Diplomacy started on Monday. The forum is hosted by the Sultanate and organized by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) in cooperation with the State Council under the auspices of Dr Yahya bin Mahfoudh al Mantheri, Chairman of the State Council.
Dr Khalid bin Salim al Saeedi, Secretary General of the State Council, said in a speech at the opening of the forum that the Sultanate’s hosting represented by the State Council of this forum comes in support of the joint Islamic and Arab work, in line with the interest of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos in all that serves the Ummah issues and fosters its progress.
He pointed out that the forum focuses on the role of Arab Parliaments in supporting the development of science, technology and innovation and activating their role in sustainable development.
He added that the forum is part of a series of inter-parliaments regional forums on science and technology organized by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
The Forum aims to promote comprehensive development based on scientific foundations in order to create a supportive, and stimulating environment for scientific research and innovation in order to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development based on knowledge and to develop strategies and plans that encourage creativity and support research talents.
The forum included on the first day two working sessions. In the first session, 4 working papers were presented entitled “Does Arab parliaments have a role in policies related to science, technology and innovation?”, “Omani Parliamentary Diplomacy and its role in promoting regional and scientific cooperation”, “The role of parliament in promoting scientific research and innovation: the case of Morocco,” and “Enhancing the role of science, technology and innovation in sustainable development.”
The forum is attended by a number of parliamentarians, experts and thinkers from a number of Arab countries, and will continue for three days. It seeks to strengthen the role of parliamentarians in science diplomacy and to encourage the adoption of the necessary measures and legislations that contribute to scientific and technical empowerment and promote the bridges of regional cooperation and exchange of experiences in these vital fields, in addition to encourage community attention to issues of science, technology and innovation.
The forum included in its second session 3 working papers reviewing “Experience of the Bahraini parliament in supporting and sponsoring education and talented people”, “Regional cooperation in the field of scientific research: mechanisms and ways of activation”, “The role of parliamentary networks in enhancing regional cooperation in science, technology and innovation.”
— ONA
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