Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev has proposed the creation of a food reserve for Muslim countries to improve food security in the Islamic world.

President Nazarbayev addressed the World Islamic Economic Forum in the Kazakh capital Astana Wednesday. He said member nations of the Organization of the Islamic Conference should establish a regional fund to stave off food shortages. He proposed that a fund modeled after the United Nations food agency should be based in his country.

The central Asian nation is a big producer and exporter of wheat.

Mr. Nazarbayev also called for modernization of the Muslim world and efforts to develop a positive image of Islam.

He urged Muslim countries to counter the stereotype that equates Islam with terrorism.

Kazakhstan is currently holding the rotating chairmanship of the 57-nation Organization of the Islamic Conference. Mr. Nazarbayev has ruled the country, a former Soviet republic, for more than 20 years.