ISLAMABAD: The Embassy of Germany is being engaged for some major initiatives of the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), including the organization’s upcoming high-profile Accra Forum on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development to be held in Ghana in April 2020. Discussions on this and other matters of international importance were made in Islamabad during a meeting between, Ambassador of Germany to Pakistan, Bernhard Schlagheck who called on the Executive Director COMSATS, Dr. S. M. Junaid Zaidi, and his team at COMSATS Secretariat on Sunday. The meeting was aimed at building cooperation with Germany for seeking patronage and broadening COMSATS’ international activities within the backdrop of triangular cooperation and United Nations 2030 Global Agenda. Germany Ambassador was briefed about COMSATS’ S&T-related engagements with different institutions and state-owned scientific departments in its Member States. Mr. Schlagheck was also apprised of COMSATS’ initiatives in the field of health, ICTs, higher education and climate change as well as recent engagements with international bodies such as UNOSSC and Commonwealth. The German Ambassador expressed keen interest in COMSATS’ grand initiative, the Accra Forum on S&T for Sustainable Development. He deemed it a good platform for multilateral cooperation towards achievement of United Nations Global Goals and identification of key needs of the developing countries, especially those from Africa. Mr. Schlagheck lauded COMSATS for its innovative approach to bring about sustainable development in the Global South. He strongly supported the idea of Germany’s participation at the Accra Forum and pledged to convey the message to his Government for campaigning and active participation of Germany in the said Forum. The meeting ended with a pledge of mutual support for multilateral and triangular cooperation.
