Rome, Italy, 26 July 2023: Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) President, H.E. Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser, and Executive Director of World Food Program (WFP) Ms. Cindy Hensley McCain, met in Rome during the major UN Food Systems Summit to address an array of topics, with a particular focus on discussing food security in conflict-affected countries like Afghanistan. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the UN Food Systems Summit, followed a high-profile International Conference on Development and Migration hosted by the Government of Italy.

During the meeting, IsDB President Dr. Al Jasser extended congratulations to Ms. McCain on her recent appointment and praised the advancing cooperation between the Bank and WFP. He highlighted the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two institutions, focusing on food security and nutrition, rural transformation, sustainable infrastructure, climate-change initiatives, and human capital development, including social safety net programs. "Thematic IsDB departments have initiated engagements with WFP to identify areas of collaboration, and our regional hubs in different countries are actively interacting with their WFP counterparts," stated Dr. Al Jasser.

Both parties expressed deep concern regarding the ongoing food insecurity in Afghanistan. WFP's commendable efforts were acknowledged as they scaled up food assistance operations, reaching 23 million people in 2022, both in rural and urban areas.

Regarding the Afghanistan Humanitarian Trust Fund (AHTF), managed by IsDB on behalf of the Governments of the 57 member countries under the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Dr. Al Jasser emphasized the urgency of actions under the AHTF. "Provision of food for needy people in Afghanistan, alongside other urgent humanitarian assistance and basic essential services such as child nutrition, health and vaccination, clean water and sanitation, shelter, basic education, women and youth empowerment and inclusion, job creation, cash transfer, etc., are among the most crucial and immediate actions," elaborated Dr. Al Jasser.

The two sides also agreed to collaborate on human capital development in select countries of operation, including Benin, The Gambia, and Senegal, while replicating past successful emergency response programs in fragile and conflict-affected countries..