Islamabad, 29 September 2022 (TDI): The Standing Committee of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) officially launched the COMSTECH-Nigeria Science & Technology Cooperation Program.
It was launched at a press conference today which was attended by senior diplomats from various OIC nations, officials from the foreign affairs and science and technology ministries, academics, and Nigerian students enrolled in local universities.
Both the High Commissioner of Nigeria, Mohammed Bello Abioye, and the Coordinator General of COMSTECH, Professor Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, spoke at the news conference at the COMSTECH Auditorium.
According to Professor Dr. Choudhary, COMSTECH’s mandate and the strategic goal still call for it to support member states in the field of science and technology.
He claimed that COMSTECH has carried out numerous initiatives to strengthen the capacities of the science, technology, and healthcare sectors as well as to promote international ties.
Numerous new programs, according to him, have been introduced, including the OIC system’s fellowship program, the Health Africa initiative, S&T profiles of the member nations, and assistance programs for research projects.
He claimed that COMSTECH has started a focused program of S&T cooperation with Nigeria to help the brotherly nation enhance its capabilities.
Professor Choudhary thanked the Government of Nigeria for accepting the proposed collaborative program and constituting an inter-ministerial Committee to explore the implementation of this initiative.
The program is being implemented by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), located in Abuja, Nigeria.
The Coordinator-General of COMSTECH enunciated that Nigeria’s economy is expanding and has the potential to be a driving force behind the growth of other African nations.
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Along these lines, the goal of this collaboration is to support the capacity building of Nigerian S&T institutions for the nation’s socioeconomic uplift through trade.
The High Commissioner of Nigeria, Mohammed Bello Abioye, pledged the full support of his office to the COMSTECH-Nigeria S&T Cooperation in appreciation of COMSTECH’s efforts.
He gave the assurance that Nigeria would support the development of the other OIC African nations. Ambassador Askar Mussinov, Assistant Secretary-General for Science and Technology OIC also attended the event virtually.
He said that COMSTECH and the OIC General Secretariat collaborate closely on a number of important projects and activities.
He also praised the work of Coordinator-General COMSTECH for organizing several initiatives to improve healthcare, scientific, & technology capacities as well as for promoting international ties, particularly with Palestine, Yemen, Sudan, Nigeria, & Somalia.
Likewise, he promised that this collaboration will undoubtedly create new opportunities for socioeconomic advancement and the pursuit of sustainable development goals.
The representative of Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammad Adeel, also praised COMSTECH’s efforts to advance science diplomacy in the OIC region.
In this vein, he pledged full support for the beginning of similar joint initiatives with other OIC member states.
COMSTECH-Nigeria Program
COMSTECH-Nigeria Program comprises institution linkages between Nigeria and Pakistan, the launching of a women scientist research fellowship program and capacity building of Nigerian scholars and students.
It also includes the launching of a book comprising joint research publications & patents of Pakistani & Nigerian scientists, an industrial internship of Nigerian professionals in food processing & value addition, as well as a study visit of Pakistani students to Nigeria.
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