Azerbaijan to rebuild schools in Syria under ICESCO agreement

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Azerbaijan will provide assistance in the construction and major overhaul of destroyed and damaged schools in Syria, the Science and Education Ministry said on Tuesday.

The ministry said in a statement that the relevant agreement providing the legal grounds was signed at the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) in Rabat, Morocco.

"On February 17, a Strategic Partnership Agreement was signed at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat between the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Education of the Syrian Arab Republic, and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) regarding the restoration of educational infrastructure in Syria," the ministry said.

The document was signed by the Azerbaijani Science and Education Minister Emin Amrullayev, his Syrian counterpart Muhammad Abdulrahman Turko, and the Director-General of ICESCO Salim bin Muhammad Al-Malik.

According to the agreement, Azerbaijan will provide support for the restoration of educational infrastructure in Syria by building around 10 new school buildings and repairing approximately 100 damaged schools.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Amrullayev emphasized the importance of the initiative aimed at restoring educational infrastructure in Syria with Azerbaijan's support, adding that the initiative is intended to create a safe and modern educational environment for children and youth.

Al-Malik said the agreement will contribute to the restoration of educational infrastructure in Syria and will help strengthen cooperation between countries of the Islamic world.