COMSTECH hosts seminar on science diplomacy and sustainability in Islamabad

Islamabad, 6 March 2023 (TDI): A one-day introductory seminar on “science diplomacy and sustainability” was organized by the Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) on Monday at the auditorium.

Professor Zakri Abdul Hamid, former Science Advisor to the Malaysian Prime Minister, and Kamran Akhtar, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spoke at the course.

The welcoming message was presented by the Coordinator-General of COMSTECH, Professor Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary and the Adviser COMSTECH, Dr. S. Khurshid Hasanain, delivered the opening remarks.

In his lectures, Dr. Zakri emphasised that the 57 member nations of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as well as the Global South find it more difficult to pursue sustainability & the preservation of biodiversity.

He highlighted the earth’s resources in the face of climate change. According to him, the environment and biodiversity in these nations, which still require rapid economic development, would suffer as a result of increased economic expansion.

This problem calls for a careful scientific balancing act between encouraging development and facilitating conservation. On the basis of science diplomacy, he suggested potential courses of action for diverse parties.

Professor Zakri further emphasised the necessity of strengthening the role of science in global negotiations to address the issues of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Also read: Ambassador of Kazakhstan lauds COMSTECH initiatives

While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Additional Secretary (ACDIS), Mohammad Kamran Akhtar on his part,discussed the fundamentals of science diplomacy in several fields of international talks.

Along these lines, he highlighting its function as a soft power to achieve diplomatic goals and foster goodwill. He went on to discuss Pakistan’s involvement in international scientific projects like the physics LHC collaboration at CERN.

On the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions, he stressed that while it is an issue shared by all countries, there needs to be a scaled responsibility for emission reduction depending on how much each country has contributed to the current status of the environment.

Speaking at the event, Professor Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, the Coordinator-General of COMSTECH, described the organization’s function in the area of science diplomacy.

As instances of science diplomacy, he cited the organization’s continuous endeavours in the fields of health & medicine in sub-Saharan Africa, its collaboration with groups concerned about food security & its awarding of research funds to scientists in member states.

He emphasised that COMSTECH is leading the OIC effort to coordinate key science and technology efforts for economic growth among the 15 top OIC member states (OIC-15 Dialog Platform).

Moreover, he greeted the diplomats from numerous OIC and non-OIC nations as well as the course participants, and he expressed the hope that it may result in further cooperation in science and technology under the auspices of COMSTECH.

Many members of the Diplomatic Corps in Islamabad, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, professors, and experts in the subject of sustainable development were present.

COMSTECH

The Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) is a specialized institution of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), headquartered in Islamabad, Pakistan.

The 57 OIC member states use COMSTECH as a platform for coordination and consultation about science and technology cooperation.

The group is dedicated to strengthening academic-industry cooperation, advancing member governments’ capacity to meet 21st-century problems, and advancing scientific and technical advancement throughout the Muslim world.

Through its many programmes, COMSTECH aspires to increase the scientific and technical prowess of OIC member nations, enhance the standard of research and development activities, and support regional sustainability.