**OIC-COMSTECH and ACE-B Launch International Workshop to Boost Genome Data Analysis Skills in Mali**
The OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (OIC-COMSTECH), together with the African Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Data Science (ACE-B) and MD-BIONET, has initiated an international training workshop in Bamako, Mali, to advance expertise in the analysis of genome data relating to genetic and infectious diseases. The initiative aims to tackle skill shortages in bioinformatics across OIC member countries and strengthen regional capacity, particularly in West Africa.
During the inaugural ceremony, H.E. Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General of COMSTECH, voiced his gratitude to Malian authorities for their hospitality, particularly towards visiting expert trainers Dr. Waseem Haider from COMSATS University, Islamabad, and Dr. Zaira Rehman from Indus Hospital and Health Network, Karachi. Prof. Choudhary highlighted that the lack of specialized training limits the ability of many OIC member states to fully interpret and analyze genomic data. He emphasized that the current workshop is designed to bridge this critical gap by equipping public health officials, PhD candidates, clinicians, molecular biologists, and related professionals with essential skills.
The training workshop was officially opened by Prof. Mahamadou Diakité, Rector of the University of Technical Sciences and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB). Prof. Diakité welcomed the participants and praised the collaborative approach, recognizing the workshop as a significant step toward scientific and technological advancement in the region.
Bringing together over 150 participants from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds—including healthcare workers, researchers, and students—the event was conducted in a hybrid format. Organizers described the workshop as a milestone in developing regional expertise in bioinformatics and genome data analysis, with particular importance for the management of genetic and infectious diseases in West Africa.
