Executive Director COMSATS, Dr. S. M. Junaid Zaidi contacted COMSATS’ focal ministries in China and Iran through letters for showing solidarity and sympathies to those afflicted with the Coronavirus, and pledged to stand with the people and governments of the two countries.
China and Iran were two of the most badly affected countries by Coronavirus and both are neighboring countries of Pakistan.
These two countries are also members of the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) an inter-governmental organization of 27 developing countries based in Islamabad, striving to promote South-South cooperation in the fields of science and technology.
Dr. Zaidi stated that the global outbreak has strengthened COMSATS’ resolve for channeling the scientific research and development towards understanding the phenomenon and enhancing capacities of the Member States to deal with such threats.
He thanked the authorities of the two countries for taking effective measures for fighting against the virus.
Chinese Minister for Science and Technology Wang Zhigang thanked the Executive Director COMSATS for his letter expressing support to the Chinese government in the fight against Coronavirus outbreak.
He informed that the Chinese government has taken the most comprehensive, rigorous and thorough measures to contain the outbreak, and as a result of united efforts, the situation is now turning for the better.
He stated that China will continue to work with other stakeholders to build an effective response against the epidemic and uphold regional and global public health security, harnessing the power of science, technology and innovation.
The Minister stated that as a member of COMSATS, China has strengthened cooperation with other members for the sharing of human and technological resources.
Two Chinese centres that are affiliated with COMSATS as Centres of Excellence, the International Center for Climate and Environment Sciences (ICCES) and the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology (TIB), have played a key role In this regard.
The Iranian Minister for Science, Research and Technology, Mansour Gholami also thanked the Executive Director COMSATS for his letter, and informed that Iran has taken all necessary measures to combat the disease.
Minister offered to collaborate with other member countries for finding solutions to such treats from the platform of COMSATS.
The Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST), affiliated with COMSATS as a Centre of Excellence, has been actively participating in the programmes and activities of COMSATS.
China and Iran are active members of COMSATS and have been collaborating in terms of organizing joint capacity building events, offering postgraduate scholarships and postdoctoral fellowships, and executing joint research and development projects.