ISLAMABAD: President Dr. Arif Alvi emphasized the need for enhancing educational and scientific cooperation among member countries of the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) to address the challenges faced by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries across various sectors. During a meeting held at Aiwan-e-Sadr, President Alvi received a delegation from the COMSTECH Scientific Advisory Council (SAC) led by Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, the Coordinator General of COMSTECH. The President’s Secretariat Press Wing issued a press release highlighting the key discussions.
President Alvi recognized the wealth of open-source knowledge available and stressed the importance of fully utilizing it for the benefit of Muslim countries. He noted that the world is experiencing rapid changes driven by advancements in science and technology, requiring Islamic nations to strengthen their capacities and make prompt decisions to keep pace with the evolving global landscape.
The President emphasized the availability and democratization of knowledge, which presents greater opportunities that should be fully capitalized upon by Muslim countries. He further highlighted the significance of leveraging emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, to find innovative solutions for the challenges faced by OIC member countries in the fields of education, science, and technology.
President Alvi underscored the role of COMSTECH’s scientific advisory mechanisms in meeting the national needs of OIC member countries. He expressed his confidence in the ability of COMSTECH to facilitate enhanced cooperation among member states and provide valuable guidance in various scientific and technological domains.
The delegation from COMSTECH apprised the President of the initiatives undertaken to strengthen cooperation in science and technology among OIC member states. They discussed the challenges and opportunities in higher education, science, technology, and innovation (STI) and presented several suggestions to further promote collaboration among Muslim countries.
President Alvi commended the participants for their valuable ideas and acknowledged the contributions made by COMSTECH in advancing educational and scientific cooperation among member countries. He expressed his support for COMSTECH’s efforts and emphasized the importance of collective action to harness the full potential of scientific collaboration within the OIC framework.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to enhance scientific cooperation, promote knowledge sharing, and facilitate joint initiatives among COMSTECH member countries. President Alvi reaffirmed his dedication to supporting initiatives that strengthen educational and scientific endeavors, leading to progress and development across the OIC countries.