JEDDAH: The assistant secretary-general for humanitarian, cultural, and social affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Tarig Ali Bakhiet, recently met the director general of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in Geneva.

Bakhiet, who is also the special envoy of the OIC secretary-general to Afghanistan, and Ghebreyesus discussed resource and support mobilization to strengthen the health sector in Afghanistan, and the Sahel region, including through enhancing access to COVID-19 vaccines.

The two sides agreed to develop a new memorandum of understanding and a plan of action to reinforce their bilateral cooperation in health and technical assistance, provision of medical supplies, training and capacity building to the benefit of the OIC member states.

The OIC envoy also met Antonio Vitorino, director general of the International Organization for Migration in Geneva. The meeting highlighted the critical importance of migration for the OIC and explored ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two sides, including through an enhanced framework of engagement.

The two parties emphasized the need to scale-up joint action to implement emergency assistance, address the root causes of migration, and operationalize durable solutions that span across the humanitarian, development and peace nexus.

Earlier, Bakhiet held a meeting with Robert Mardini, director general of the International Committee of the Red Cross. They discussed ways to enhance bilateral relations between the two parties, considering the cooperation agreement and work plan signed between the two sides.

The two parties stressed the need to intensify joint efforts to confront humanitarian crises in conflict areas and help those affected overcome their various effects and repercussions.

The two sides also agreed on the importance of continuing to hold seminars and workshops in the humanitarian field and international humanitarian law.