STAFF REPORT ISLAMABAD: The 14th General Assembly meeting of the OIC Standing COMSTECH has stressed for joint initiatives to launch various projects of science and technology development in Muslim states.
The meeting, which met here last week, expressed concern over the backwardness in the Muslim states due to lack in scientific and technological advancement despite having enormous human and material resources.
“We must build our human capital and invest in science and technology to catch up with rest of the world,” says the joint declaration issued at the concluding ceremony of the COMSTECH meeting.
It called for technology transfer for the mutual benefits of the Muslim states as it would ensure the sustainable development as has been achieved by the Western nations.
The COMSTECH was also addressed by Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani along with other professionals and scholars representing the OIC member states.
Gilani mentioned several important developments under the umbrella of COMSTECH including bringing in its fold, all science and technology institutions of OIC to function as one whole body, which he said would enable efforts in a coordinated manner.
He acknowledged the role of Saudi Arabia in bringing STIO this far and urged those who had not joined Science, Technology and Innovation Organisation (STIO) to fully implement the 10-Year Programme of Action during the remaining 5-year period.
He said to help COMSTECH pursue its commendable course of action in building indigenous research capability, Pakistan had provided US$ one million annually.
The meeting discussed in the detail the joint design, manufacture and marketing of small and medium sized planes, affordable cars, communication satellites and production of biotechnological-based drugs and vaccines.
The OIC General Secretariat is working on a plan of action for the implementation of this initiative which covers five OIC Member States; Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Turkey, Indonesia and Kazakhstan.
On the occasion, S&T experts read their research papers and gave presentations on their projects that would pave the way for devising a reformed strategy for ensuring development in the field of science and technology.
The three-day General Assembly meeting studied a number of scientific projects including a mega project initiative that aims at pooling diverse capabilities, resources and expertise of the member states of the OIC.
COMSTECH on its own had managed to obtain almost twice as much fund for its Science and Technology programmes as financial contributions by its member states. This development, will allow COMSTECH to focus its energies on its primary role as a coordination and policy making supreme body of the OIC on Science and Technology.
The General Assembly will submit its recommendations to the 12th Islamic Summit which will be held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in March 2011.
OIC Secretary General Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu in his address urged the COMSTECH to focus on providing policy guidelines for education particularly in science and technology amongst the member states.
http://www.technologytimes.pk/mag/2011/jan11/issue03/joint_invitiatives_to_ensure.php
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