OIC Launches Three-Day Water Security Training at COMSTECH as 16 Member States Face Critical Stress

Islamabad, September 7, 2026 — A three-day intensive training programme on sustainable water governance and water security began at the OIC-COMSTECH Secretariat on Monday, bringing together policymakers, water experts, researchers and development practitioners to explore practical responses to growing water scarcity and climate-related pressures across the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states.

Background

Water stress has become one of the most pressing development challenges facing the Islamic world. According to the OIC Water Report 2025, 16 OIC member states are currently experiencing critical levels of water stress, with projections indicating that by 2050, 17 OIC countries could face extremely high water stress and another 10 could face high water stress. This escalating outlook has intensified calls for coordinated, evidence-based action across the OIC region, where water security is increasingly linked to food security, public health, agriculture, climate resilience and economic development.

The training programme is being held under the umbrella of the OIC General Secretariat and OIC-COMSTECH, in collaboration with the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC) and the Hisaar Foundation.

Programme Focus

The training centers on integrated water resource management, climate-smart irrigation, transboundary groundwater governance, pollution control, digital technologies, data-driven decision-making, innovative financing, and partnerships for water security. Over the three days, experts will examine water governance practices in South Asia and other regions, climate-smart irrigation technologies, and approaches to managing shared groundwater resources — including lessons drawn from the Senegal-Mauritanian Aquifer Basin.

Sessions will also address the impact of industrial pollution and climate change on surface and groundwater, community participation in water governance, citizen science, and the incorporation of local knowledge into public policy. A dedicated segment on data-driven water management will cover simulation modelling, geographic information systems, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and Internet of Things applications, alongside discussion of SESRIC water dashboards and UNESCO water-data platforms for planning, monitoring and climate resilience.

The final day will focus on designing effective water policies and projects, financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships, and innovative models to improve access to safe drinking water, with particular attention to African OIC member states.

Statements from Officials

Addressing the opening session, OIC Assistant Secretary General for Science and Technology Ambassador Aftab Ahmad Khokar described the initiative as timely, noting that a significant number of OIC countries were increasingly exposed to water insecurity, climate change, environmental degradation and pressure on natural resources. He said the deliberations and recommendations emerging from experts and participants would be acknowledged and could contribute to developing practical approaches for cooperation among OIC countries, reaffirming the OIC General Secretariat’s support for knowledge-sharing and technical collaboration.

SESRIC Director General H.E. Zehra Zümrüt Selçuk said water stress had become one of the most pressing development challenges facing the Islamic world, stressing the importance of efficient water use, data-driven policymaking, innovation and stronger cooperation among member states given the escalating projections for 2050.

OIC-COMSTECH Coordinator General Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary said water security was now inseparably linked with food security, public health, agriculture, climate resilience and sustainable economic development. He said scientific cooperation among OIC countries needed to move beyond dialogue toward sharing technologies, expertise, data and workable solutions, adding that greater use of artificial intelligence, remote sensing, digital water-management systems and evidence-based planning could help countries manage increasingly constrained water resources more effectively. He affirmed that COMSTECH would continue bringing together scientists, policymakers, universities and international development institutions to develop practical responses to water and climate challenges requiring regional and cross-border cooperation.

Participation and Outcomes

Experts and representatives from the Islamic Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, African Water Facility, International Water Management Institute, UNESCO, SESRIC, and other national and international organizations are expected to contribute to the technical sessions. The programme will conclude with discussions aimed at developing a strategic water cooperation roadmap for OIC member states, including recommendations on technical cooperation, water financing, transboundary resource management, and stronger institutional partnerships. Certificates will be awarded to participants at the conclusion of the training on Wednesday.

Conclusion

As water stress intensifies across a growing number of OIC member states, this training programme reflects a concerted push toward more coordinated, technically grounded responses to the region’s shared water challenges. By combining expertise from international financial institutions, research bodies, and technical agencies with a focus on digital tools and financing mechanisms, the initiative aims to translate scientific cooperation into a practical roadmap capable of guiding OIC countries through mounting water security pressures over the coming decades.