The Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) is an intergovernmental and international organization, aiming at sustainable socio-economic uplift of the developing countries through useful applications of science and technology. Representatives from 36 developing countries met on 4-5th Oct 1994 in Islamabad and agreed to establish "The Commission" , a high forum represented by heads of governments. Currently COMSATS has 21 countries as its members located in the three continents of the globe (Asia, Africa and Latin America).

The idea of the joint commission of countries of the South originally came from Prof. Dr. Abdus Salam, the Nobel Laureate, in acknowledgement of the increasingly widening gap of knowledge and technology between the North and the South. It was realized that sustainable socio-economic development in the South cannot be achieved without building and sustaining indigenous capacities in science and technology and that the strengthening of South-South and North-South collaboration and exchange of resources is imperative for generation and sustenance of such capacities. Professor Salam's enthusiasm and personal approach motivated a number of political leaders / heads of state of developing nations in the South to join forces with COMSATS.

The foundation-conference of COMSATS which was held in Islamabad on 4th & 5th October, 1994, attracted representation from thirty-six countries. The participants included twenty-two Ministers, members of the diplomatic community of Islamabad and representatives of international organizations, like UNESCO, UNIDO, UNEP, and the World Bank. The conference decided that the Headquarters / Secretariat of the Commission would be based permanently at Islamabad, Pakistan, and the Head of State of Pakistan would act as the first Chairperson of the forum. It was agreed that the host-government, Pakistan, would provide for the operational and administrative expenses of the Secretariat, while the development programmes of the Commission would be supported and financed through Technical Assistance Fund, formed of membership-contributions, income from services, and international grants/project-funds.

The designated Focal Points (relevant state-bodies/ministries/R & D institutions) in the member states, Centres of Excellence and the diplomatic community serve as the official channels for coordinating the activities of COMSATS.

Mission and Objectives

1. To sensitize the countries in the South to the centrality of science and technology in the development process, to the adequate allocation of resources for research and development, and to the integration of science and technology in the national and regional development plans;
2. To support the establishment of a Network of International Science and Technology Centres for Sustainable Development in the South;
3. To support other major initiatives, designed to promote indigenous capacity in science and technology for science-led sustainable development, and to help mobilize long-term financial support from international donor-agencies and from Governments / Institutions in the North and the South, to supplement the financing of international scientific projects in the South;
4. To provide leadership and support for major North-South and South-South cooperative schemes in education, training and research, such as the proposal to set up programmes of scholarships for research at centres of excellence in the South;
5. To support the relevant programmes and initiatives of major scientific organizations working for the development and promotion of science and technology in the South.