STAFF REPORT ISB: The State of Palestine has joined the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) as its 23rd Member State, on October 5, 2015. The State’s Ambassador of Palestine to Pakistan, Walid Abu Ali, consented to the Accession Arrangement for the benefit of the Government of Palestine, while the Executive Director COMSATS, Dr Imtinan Elahi Qureshi, marked it in the interest of COMSATS. With the marking approved by the Palestinian Government, the Accession Agreement is taking effect right now and does not need further endorsement.
The agreement involves arrangement of an applicable Ministry of the State of Palestine as COMSATS’ Focal Point, and, at the appointed time, designation of a suitable Palestinian advanced education establishment to join COMSATS’ Network of International SandT Centers of Excellence.
Palestinian understudies will now have the capacity to get advantage from the grants for COMSATS’ Member States offered by some of COMSATS’ Centers of Excellence. The activities of COMSATS now accessible to Palestine incorporate the International Thematic Research Groups; Distinguished Professorship Scheme; Science, Technology and Innovation Policy consultancy; and limit building and information sharing exercises.
Rana Tanveer Hussain (Minister), and Fazal Abbas Maken (Federal Secretary), the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) spoke to COMSATS’ Focal Ministry in Pakistan. Talking on the event, Rana Tanveer Hussain said that Palestine has a privilege to Statehood and the inclusion to COMSATS member states will escalate its higher studies infrastructure and resource building in SandT arena. The Palestinian Ambassador to Pakistan communicated delight and fulfillment on his country’s membership to COMSATS, and appreciated the endeavors made by the COMSATS for the promotion of SandT.