 These agreements lay the foundation for long-term co-operative relationships between OIC institutions and these republics and their scientific infrastructure.The IAS has been actively supporting the Palestine Academy of Science and Technology (PALAST) through facilitating the participation of PALAST officials in the various scientific activities in the Middle East, as well as providing help and advice to this sister academy on a regular bases.The Bangladesh Academy of Sciences played an important part in organising the 19th IAS conference which was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and a number of the BAS Fellows took part in the conference.