Islamic academy calls for inter-Islamic partnership in biotechnology
The Islamic Academy of Sciences (IAS) on Wednesday called for the consolidation of partnership ties among member countries of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in biotechnology and genetic engineering.
The IAS, which wound up Wednesday its three-day eleventh conference, passed a declaration, dubbed the Rabat Declaration, urging leaders and decision-makers of the OIC member countries to divert available resources to science education with a view to building a scientific and technological manpower-base capable of adapting and developing new technologies.
OIC member states were also urged to re-define national developmental objectives in the area of science and technology, especially biotechnology and information technology, in view of globalization and free trade arrangements.
The Rabat Declaration equally stressed the need for OIC countries to introduce biotechnology programs at various stages of the educational process.
After voicing concern over the many serious legal, ethical and social questions raised by the major breakthroughs in molecular biology and genetic engineering, IAS warned against exploiting a technology that can have irreparable effects on man's health and environment.
Part of the drives to enhance biotechnology and genetic engineering research in the Islamic World, The Rabat Declaration recommended the creation of an Islamic Biotechnology Fund to help poorer OIC countries to transfer biotechnology know-how from other countries and develop and utilize it to achieve national food-security.
It also recommended the setting up of a multi-disciplinary group of scientists, technologists and Islamic scholars to go deeper into the various facets of social and ethical issues emanating from genetic engineering and biotechnology.
The Rabat conference, held under the theme "Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering for development in the Islamic World, brought together scientists from several Muslim countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Indonesia and Malaysia.