The Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South, (COMSATS; www.comsats.org) an intergovernmental organization was established in 1994 which was envisioned by Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr. Abdus Salam, a renowned Pakistani scientist and physicist. The Commission aims to narrowing gap between the global South and the global North in terms of scientific knowledge and economic development and plays much needed leadership role for sustainable socio-economic development.
COMSATS is a proponent of South-South cooperation and endeavors to achieve its mission by supporting global initiatives and regional cooperation. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an important initiative by two of COMSATS Member States, Pakistan and China, that epitomizes South-South cooperation, and is part of a global initiative. Collaboration between these Member States under CPEC is expected to result in improved infrastructure, increased foreign investment, job creation, and enhanced regional connectivity. CPEC is a part of the larger Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of China, in which 23 Member States of COMSATS are participating. COMSATS welcomes such initiatives and remains ready to extend its support for scientific and technological interventions in the form of research and innovation, sharing best practices, and developing human resources through capacity-building initiatives.
COMSATS is unique in being an organization jointly created by developing countries on their own initiative and working independently to achieve common developmental goals mainly through South-South cooperation. COMSATS’ membership is open to all developing countries and currently there are 27 Member States, 13 from Asia, 12 from Africa, and two from Latin America. A strong forum for S&T collaborations at scientist-to-scientist level exists in the form of COMSATS Network of 24 Centres of Excellence. These Centres act as vital resource bases, providing crucial support for the organization’s programs and activities within the Member States. COMSATS’ various statuary bodies, including the Commission, the Consultative Committee, and the Coordinating Council, as well as the Technical Advisory Committee, support its functioning, decision-making and operations.
The organization’s permanent Secretariat is hosted in Islamabad, Pakistan. The Prime Minister of Pakistan was the first Chairperson of the Commission, while at present, this responsibility lies with the President of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The incumbent Executive Director of COMSATS Secretariat is Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria.
COMSATS pursues its mission through various means, including raising awareness among Southern countries about the cardinal role of science and technology in the development process, advocating for adequate resource allocation for research and development, and encouraging the integration of science and technology in national and regional development plans.
By fostering collaboration between nations, COMSATS aims to enhance knowledge exchange, technological advancements, and capacity building in the global South. In line with its objectives, COMSATS collaborates with international organizations to leverage global cooperation, aligning efforts with UN SDGs and other global agendas.
Throughout its existence, COMSATS has successfully implemented a wide array of science and technology programs in Pakistan. Notably, it established the COMSATS Internet Services (CIS) in 1996 to lay foundation for internet infrastructure in the country which has become Pakistan’s most diversified Internet Service Provider. Another significant milestone is the establishment of the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) in 1998, which is now known as COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI). The University has emerged as one of Pakistan’s top higher education institutions, offering over one hundred academic programs in seven campuses across the country and producing a large number of graduates (over 90,000). Further, utilizing the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for healthcare, COMSATS developed its Telehealth service in early 2000s. Working on a hub and spoke model, physicians at the Telehealth Resource Centre located in Islamabad, caters a large number of patients in 29 remote teleclinics through daily outpatient service. Women and children are the top beneficiaries of COMSATS Telehealth Service that facilitates the treatment of MNH related issues, management of chronic diseases and identification of complicated cases.
COMSATS has played a pivotal role in exchange of knowledge and expertise among the member states by organizing over 400 capacity-building events in various fields of science and technology. Moreover, the organization facilitated joint research activities in fields of ICTs, agriculture/food security, renewable energy, mathematical modeling, and climate change. This collaborative approach fosters innovation and addresses common challenges faced by the Member States.
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To address the pressing issue of climate change, COMSATS established the COMSATS Centre for Climate & Sustainability (CCCS) in 2018. CCCS serves as a platform to connect Member States, identify potential areas of collaboration, share knowledge and expertise, and offer solutions to address common challenges within the framework of the UN 2030 Development Agenda. CCCS has organized several webinars on various subjects related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), generating significant interest at regional and international levels.
COMSATS is actively facilitating cooperation among its Member States in the emerging field of industrial biotechnology. The COMSATS Joint Centre for Industrial Biotechnology (CCIB), established in April 2021 in China, is supporting joint R&D, publications, patents, capacity-building workshops, as well as exchange of experts, under its six Joint R&D Groups focused at Bio-medicine, Bio-agriculture, Future Food, Biomaterials, Bio-chemicals and Bio-energy.
Most recently, after the appointment of the incumbent Executive Director, COMSATS formalized collaboration agreements with leading organizations to pave way for impactful technological interventions. Some of the recent interventions are in emerging technologies such as genomics, artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, renewable energy technologies, precision agriculture, as well as electrical vehicles.
Cognizant of its global responsibility, COMSATS continues promoting scientific and technological progress of the developing countries. Through its various forums, vibrant networks and strategic initiatives, the organization commits to foster sustainable socio-economic development, and address global challenges in line with international agendas.
