Saudi Arabia: Representatives from member countries of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) recently embarked on a three-day familiarization visit to King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) to delve into the university’s advanced aquaculture expertise. The visit, funded by IsDB, was part of the IsDB Technology Deployment Cooperation Program (TDCP) and aimed to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration in the field of aquaculture.
Hosted by KAUST in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) and Innovative Contractors for Advanced Dimensions (ICAD), the delegation included eight government representatives from Morocco, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Egypt. The visit, which commenced on November 5th, 2023, comprised tours of aquaculture facilities in the Kingdom, offering insights into KAUST’s cutting-edge technologies.
The primary objective of the visit was to accelerate the development of aquaculture capabilities in North and West African countries. KAUST was introduced as a trusted partner for the establishment of aquaculture infrastructure in the representatives’ respective nations, with potential financing from IsDB. ICAD served as the technology deployment partner in this collaborative initiative.
Prior to the visit, the IsDB-KAUST team engaged in several online meetings with IsDB regional hubs and relevant institutions in member countries. Drs. Hadi Zulfiqar and Riddhi Shukla from KAUST Technology Transfer Office, along with Syed Hassan Alsagoff and Isatou Cham from IsDB, and Dr. Asaad Mohamed, Aquaculture Program Director at KAUST Beacon Development, presented the university’s aquaculture capabilities during these sessions.
Riad Ragueb Ahmed, Director of Cooperation and Capacity Development for IsDB, highlighted the program’s goal to accelerate the deployment of proven and cost-effective technologies for member countries. He emphasized the partnership with KAUST under TDCP as a means to provide countries with access to groundbreaking solutions, including advancements in aquaculture.
Expressing enthusiasm for the collaboration, Mohamed Amine Mansouri from Agence Nationale pour le Développement de l’Aquaculture (ANDA), Morocco, stated, “Morocco looks forward to being part of the IsDB Technology Deployment Cooperation Program through the ‘Making Aquaculture Work for Market and Social Inclusiveness’ Project. The demonstration visit to KAUST will enable us to harness innovative technologies to further develop greater value from aquaculture.”
