ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (Escap) will assist the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (Comsats) to promote science, technology and innovation as key means of implementation to meet the ambitions of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The UN-Escap and Comsats signed on Thursday a memorandum of understanding, which aims to promote science, technology and innovation (STI).

Comsats Executive Director Dr S. M Junaid Zaidi and Escap Executive Secretary Dr Shamshad Akhtar signed the agreement on behalf of their respective commissions. Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain was also present on the occasion.

Dr Shamshad Akhtar said that the science, technology and innovation knowledge sharing and collaboration will be critical to ensure that no country was left behind in the frontier of technological revolution.

“This partnership with Comsats pools together out collective STI resources and expertise to support our respective member states to chart this future together,” she said.

Rana Tanveer Hussain felicitated the two commissions on signing the agreement and hoped that both sides would complement one another’s work in the fields of climate change, sustainable development, e-health, and ICTs. He appreciated the offer of Escap to help Comsats establish a climate change research institute in one of its member states with the involvement of UNFCCC.

Comsats Executive Director Dr S. M. Junaid Zaidi also spoke on the occasion, and said, “Avenues of collaboration between Comsats and Escap exist in different fields, including information technology, biotechnology, fuel cells, and nanotechnology”. He added “Support and cooperation from organisations like Escap can help Comsats achieve the goal of sustainable development of its member countries.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2017