Islam Analysis: Do or die for OIC science cooperation
In 2007, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) created the Science, Technology and Innovation Organisation (STIO) to organise cooperative research and pool resources among its 57 member countries. STIO’s operated under the banner ‘Your money for your projects’ butut there is very little to show for its six years of existence. One problem is the politics of power within the Islamic world. It is important to rise above such politics to create organisations with shared ownership. Furthermore, member countries are allowed to spend up to 90 per cent of their financial commitment to STIO within their countries with just 10 per cent going to the organisation. Therefore, countries have tended to see the 10 per cent contribution as an undesirable tax. Without a fresh perspective, major redesign, and some inspiration, STIO is likely to remain dead on arrival.
