The fourth meeting of the Vaccine Manufacturers Group of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation took place in Islamabad on February 9-10, 2026, hosted by the COMSTECH Committee with broad participation from major companies and institutions from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Iran, alongside representatives from the World Health Organization. Ambassador Aftab Ahmad Khokher, Assistant Secretary-General for Science and Technology, led the OIC delegation as members discussed practical steps to strengthen regional vaccine capacity.
In his opening remarks the Assistant Secretary-General called for continued efforts to achieve health sovereignty, stressing the need to reduce reliance on external suppliers by boosting local vaccine manufacturing. He reviewed plans to expand the group’s work and to coordinate technical standards that will underpin joint projects across member states.
Delegates highlighted the importance of aligning technical and regulatory standards to enable cross-border collaboration, technology transfer and joint production ventures. For Pakistan, hosting the meeting underlined opportunities to attract partnerships that can enhance domestic manufacturing, secure vaccine supplies and support national immunization goals through shared expertise and harmonized practices.
Participants agreed that coordinated standards and joint projects will be essential to converting commitments into tangible capacity. The Islamabad meeting provided a platform for OIC members and international partners to map next steps toward increased regional self-reliance in vaccine production and sustained cooperation on quality and safety standards.
