Opens COMSTECH General Assembly: Prime Minister for investing in science, technology

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Tuesday said that despite enormous human and material resources, the Muslim world still lagged behind in scientific and technological advancement.
"We must build human capital and invest in science and technology to catch up with rest of the world," said Gilani while addressing to the inaugural session of the 14th General Assembly meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Co-operation (COMSTECH) here on Tuesday.
Prime Minister also proposed meeting of science and technology stakeholders in the OIC system in Pakistan before August 2011 and asked the Ministry of Science and Technology to make necessary arrangements for the meeting in Islamabad. "There are several challenges ahead, not only for COMSTECH but also for the entire Muslim Ummah. We must focus on establishing centers of excellence in different disciplines to meet the shortage of well trained scientific manpower in OIC member countries," he opined.
The prime minister urged the Muslim Ummah to join hands in initiating projects in the fields of science and technology to meet the challenges of 21st century. "We live in an age of scientific innovations and technological advancement. In the knowledge based societies of the 21st century only those nations could aspire to lead, which excel in science and technology", Gilani added.
"The funding of science and technology programmes had borne fruit with the operationlisation of Science Technology Innovation Organisation (STIO) at a meeting in Riyadh in February, 2010," said Gilani, adding that Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran and Pakistan had committed five million US dollars each for a total approved budget of $70 million for 2011 for undertaking scientific programmes of STIO within their respective countries during the current year.
Addressing on the occasion, Secretary General of OIC, Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said that COMSTECH should focus on providing policy guidelines for education particularly in science and technology amongst the member states. He also stressed upon the OIC members for the implementation of recommendations of the General Assembly, child and maternal health, scholarships, strategy for confronting pandemics and epidemics and joint strategy to improve the quality of life.
The two-day General Assembly meeting will study a number of scientific projects including a mega project initiative that aims at pooling diverse capabilities, resources and expertise of the member states of the OIC. The conference's agenda include joint design, manufacture and marketing of small and medium sized planes, affordable cars, communication satellites and production of biotechnological-based drugs and vaccines.