Kazakhstan’s initiative on Islamic food security presented in Brunei Darussalam

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN. KAZINFORM Acting Director General of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) Yerlan Baidaulet paid a working visit to Brunei Darussalam, Kazinform learnt from the press service of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry.

During the visit, Yerlan Baidaulet met with Minister of Primary Resourcesand Tourism of Brunei Awang Ali Bin Apong.

Yerlan Baidaulet briefed the Minister onthe current state of the IOFS’ activity. He emphasized that cooperation within theIOFS opened wide opportunities for the exchange of experience in the field ofknow-how, in coordination of actions on rendering humanitarian assistance, aswell as in mobilization and management of financial and agricultural resourcesin order to improve food security in member states. The IOFS representative notedthe Organization’s readiness to provide comprehensive support for theimplementation of the long-term food security plan of Brunei in the developmentof its own agriculture (increasing itsshare from 1% to 4% within the country's GDP) and the export of someproducts. In this regard, he invited Brunei Darussalam to join the IOFS andtake part in the 2^nd sessionof its General Assembly slated for August 27-29, 2019 in Jeddah.

Yerlan Baidaulet also met with DeputyManaging Director of the Brunei Investment Agency Ahmad Jeffrey Abd Rahman,where he acquainted the participants with the upcoming plans for theoperational and investment activities of the Organization, including thepreparation of a common information system for the analysis and monitoring offood balance of each of the Islamic countries, the development of feasibilitystudies of affiliated structures. At the meeting, the Kazakh representativespoke about the activity of JSC NC Kazakh Invest, Kazakhstan’s investmentpromotion agency, and Astana International Financial Center, and invited tocooperate with them.

The Bruneian side positively evaluated theprospects of cooperation in agro-industrial and investment spheres and notedthe relevance of Kazakhstan’s initiative. It was emphasized that the Organization’sactivity was an important step towards ensuring global food security. MinisterApong said that the Bruneian side would further consider the possibility ofjoining the Organization and participating in the 2^nd session ofthe IOFS General Assembly.