The 6th Meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Economic Cooperation Organization Science Foundation (ECOSF) was held in Islamabad, Pakistan, on 22 July 2026. The Meeting was inaugurated by the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, H.E. Dr. Hossein Simaee Sarraf, Minister for Science, Research and Technology (MSRT) of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In accordance with the ECOSF Rules of Procedure, following the inaugural session, the Chairmanship of the Meeting was assumed by the host country, H.E. Mr. Khalid Hussain Magsi, Federal Minister for Science and Technology (MoST) of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

The Meeting was attended by representatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Kazakhstan (online), the Republic of Tajikistan (online), the Republic of Türkiye (online), Turkmenistan (online), and the Republic of Uzbekistan (online). The ECO Secretariat was represented by H.E. Ambassador Dr. Asad Majeed Khan, Secretary General of ECO. The ECO Cultural Institute (ECI) was represented by its President, H.E. Ambassador Muhammad Hassan, while the President of the ECO Educational Institute (ECOEI), Prof. Mehmet Akif Kireççi, participated virtually.

The BoT Meeting was preceded by the 8th Meeting of the Executive Committee (EC) on 21 July 2026, under the chairmanship of President ECOSF Prof. Dr. Seyed Komail Tayebi. Welcoming the delegates, the President gave a brief overview of the progress made by ECOSF since the last BoT Meeting and expressed hope that positive and constructive contributions would help the Committee successfully finalize preparations for the BoT Meeting. The EC held in-depth discussions on the agenda items and made recommendations, inter alia, on the status of ratification of the ECOSF Charter and its Additional Protocol; mandatory budgetary contributions and contributions to the S&T Fund; adoption of the ECOSF Annual Reports; the ECOSF Strategic Plan and Organizational Restructuring Agenda; the Draft Work Plan for 2026–2028; the proposed new programmes of the Foundation; approval of the ECOSF Accounts and Budgetary Estimates; the appointment of the next President of ECOSF; and the Draft Islamabad Communiqué 2026 for adoption by the Board. The Committee also prepared and endorsed the Draft Report of the 6th BoT Meeting.

The 6th BoT Meeting began its proceedings with with welcome remarks by Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Mr. Shahid Iqbal Baloch. President ECOSF Prof. Dr. Seyed Komail Tayebi, in his statement, thanked the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, especially the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), for hosting the Meeting in Islamabad and for extending generous hospitality to the delegates. He also thanked the Honourable Ministers and Vice Ministers of Pakistan and Iran, the Federal Secretary of MoST Pakistan, the representatives of the Member Countries, the Secretary General of ECO, and the Presidents of the ECI and ECOEI for their participation. The President further highlighted the major achievements and international linkages developed by the Foundation.

The Secretary General of ECO, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Asad Majeed Khan, in his remarks called for stronger regional collaboration in science and technology, describing the ECO Science Foundation as a key pillar for achieving the ECO Vision 2035. He appreciated the role of ECOSF as a hub of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in the region and, while commending its efforts to foster scientific cooperation among the Member States, hoped that the Foundation would continue its meaningful contribution to the region’s sustainable advancement. Underscoring the growing importance of artificial intelligence, digitalization and technology-enhanced learning, Ambassador Asad Majeed urged closer coordination among ECOSF, the ECO Secretariat and other ECO bodies, particularly the ECO Educational Institute, and assured the Foundation of the Secretariat’s fullest possible support.

In his statement, H.E. Dr. Hossein Simaee Sarraf, Minister for Science, Research and Technology of the Islamic Republic of Iran, called upon Member States to deepen scientific and technological cooperation across the region. He underlined that recent global and regional developments have shown that science, technology and innovation are no longer merely engines of economic growth but pillars of national security, resilience and sustainability. Dr. Simaee Sarraf urged ECO Member States to rethink regional cooperation and to work together to safeguard the continuity of education, research and innovation, even in times of crisis. He emphasized that the region’s young population, capable universities and considerable scientific potential, if organized into a cohesive and forward-looking network, could enable ECO to play a far greater role in global scientific production and the knowledge-based economy.

The Chair of the BoT, H.E. Mr. Khalid Hussain Magsi, Federal Minister for Science and Technology of Pakistan, emphasized Science, Technology and Innovation as key drivers of economic growth and underscored the important role of ECOSF in achieving the common goals of the ECO Member Countries. Appreciating the efforts made by the Foundation for the promotion of science and technology in the region, and reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment as host country, he urged Member States to take greater ownership of the institution. The Minister called on countries that have not yet ratified the ECOSF Charter and its Additional Protocol to complete their national procedures for ratification, and stressed that timely financial contributions were indispensable to the Foundation’s sustainability. Encouraging ECOSF to pursue demand-driven, outcome-oriented programmes, H.E. Mr. Magsi expressed optimism that a revitalized Foundation would serve as a catalyst for practical cooperation and scientific progress across the region, and wished the Meeting productive deliberations.

The Executive Director of ECOSF, Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Memon, in his vote of thanks, expressed his gratitude to the Government of Pakistan for hosting the 6th Meeting of the ECOSF BoT and appreciated all the honourable delegates and representatives of the ECO Member Countries for their support to the Foundation. Dr. Memon affirmed that ECOSF remains committed to promoting STI collaboration among the ECO Member Countries and expressed hope that the outcomes of the Meeting would contribute to the further advancement of science and technology in the region, with the Foundation continuing to play a pivotal role in realizing the objectives of the Meeting.