Meeting on Science & Technology Capacity Building for Sustainable Development Inaugurated

A meeting on the subject of Science and Technology Capacity Building for Sustainable Development was inaugurated in the federal capital of Pakistan with an intent to articulate the need for S&T capacity building for progressive and sustained development. The conference is a sequel of the meetings earlier organized by Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) to sensitize the key issues of development in the developing world.

Engr. Prevez Butt, H.I., S.I, Chairman, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) graced the occasion with his presence and chaired the inaugural session that was marked with healthy participation from Diplomatic, scholastic and scientific community, from in and abroad Pakistan. The august gathering was privileged with the invaluable speeches from Chairman, PAEC, who delivered the inaugural address; the High Commissioner for the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Political Counselor of the People’s Republic of China, who spoke on behalf of COMSATS member countries; and the Executive Director of COMSATS.

Speaking on the occasion the honorable chief guest, Engr. Prevez Butt said that Science and technology has become a byword for sustainable development, he accentuated self- reliance and capacity building in the field of science and technology and related PAEC’s
Success to its guiding principle of indigenously acquiring technology rather then depending on the means of technology transfer. Chairman PAEC in his concluding remarks acknowledged COMSATS role in S&T development in Pakistan.

The Executive Director, COMSATS, Dr. Hameed Ahmed Khan, H.I, S.I, highlighted the need to develop S&T base, strong enough to support a nation’s launch towards sustainable development, he further emphasized upon building on the existing capacities and expansion into new areas of importance. Dr. Khan drew attention of the gathering towards the courageous role played by COMSATS, over the years, in this field of capacity building.

High Commissioner for Nigeria, Mr. A.D. Idris Waziri, and the representative from Chinese embassy, stressed upon close linkages between the developing countries and reliance on science and technology for realizing the true conceptions of sustainable development. The speakers highly spoke of the role played by COMSATS through its Centre of Excellence in supporting and sensitizing the critical issues of development such as capacity building in the field science and technology.

The three-day meeting is expected to deliberate upon the challenges faced in, and means to, building and enduring capacities both in the form of infrastructural and human expertise for sustainable development.