Thursday, April 30, 2009

Islamic Development Bank Announces Winners of the Prize for Science and Technology

(Islamabad) April 30, 2009 (Latest news release from the COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad)

Science and Technology Office of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has announced winners of the 7TH edition of the Prize for Science & Technology as determined by its Selection Committee which met from April 04-05, 2009 in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A total of 124 applications were screened.

First category of the prize is about institutions having achieved outstanding scientific or technological contribution to the development of a member country. The prize for this category has been won by University Putra Malaysia, located in Selangor, Malaysia.

The second category of the prize which is for the institutions having achieved outstanding contribution to a given scientific discipline was achieved by Department of Physics, Middle East Technology University (METU), situated in Ankara, Republic of Turkey.

The third category of the prize, as awarded to International Center for Diarrheal Diseases Research, located in Dhaka, People’s Republic of Bangladesh, is specified for noted scientific research institutions in IDB least developed member countries.

The Prize, which consists of a cash award of US$ 100,000/, and a certificate, shall be presented to the winners during a ceremony on the occasion of the 34th Annual Meeting of the IDB Board of Governors scheduled to take place during 2-3 June 2009 in Ashgabat, the Republic of Turkmenistan.

IDB, through its Office on Science and Technology, is working towards increased financial assistance to member countries for science and technology projects and programs. The IDB launched this Prize in 1422H (2001) to promote scientific talent and excellence in the S&T education in R&D institutions of its member countries. The objectives of Prize are to promote sound and fruitful competition among the S&T education and research institutions in the member states.

Reported originally by Ameen Amjad for “COMSTECH News”

COMSTECH Supports International Conference on Bio-safety and Bio-security

(Islamabad) Organization of the Islamic Conference Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) extended financial support for holding an international conference on bio-safety and bio-security.

The conference, a significant step towards promoting healthier and more secure communities in Middle East and North Africa (MENA) was arranged in Casablanca, the biggest city in Morocco from April 02-04, 2009. Regional leaders and international experts participated in the conference. COMSTECH was represented by its Advisor on Science, Dr. Anwar Nasim.

Recognizing the need to address the threat posed by pandemics, major biological incidents or accidents, some 100 participants from 37 countries agreed upon a plan of action for improving the region’s preparedness and ability to respond.

The conference titled “Bio-safety and Bio-security International Conference (BBIC-09) “was held with the theme “Healthier and More Secure Communities in the Middle East and North African Region”. It was co-hosted by the Moroccan Ministry of Education, Training and Scientific Research and the International Council for the Life Sciences (ICLS).

Her Royal Highness, Princess Sumaya bint el Hassan was also present in the conference in her role as President of the Royal Scientific Society of Jordan. She delivered an important speech on the need to protect and promote human dignity and security. In her speech, she offered Amman as the site for the next Bio-safety and Bio-security International Conference to be held in 2011.

The experts discussed the development of bio-safety and bio-security strategies in the MENA region, the creation of bio-safety and bio-security regional training centers, and the establishment of a regional bio-safety association.

Apart from financial support from COMSTECH, the conference was also funded by the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi and the Royal Scientific Society of Jordan, the Kingdom of Morocco, the United Kingdom (UK), Alfred Sloan Foundation and the Robert & Ardis James Foundation of New York.

Reported by: Ameen Amjad

Monday, April 27, 2009

OIC meeting on Water Suggests Conservation Policies

Recognizing the seriousness of threat to water resources in OIC member states, Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) held a ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey. The meeting suggested a balance between water consumption and its conservation in OIC member states. COMSTECH was represented by its Coordinator General, Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman.

Islamic Conference of the Water Ministers and experts highlighted the importance of serious approach towards solving water problems in the OIC member states. They declared the issue of water the most important and sensitive matter for the Islamic world and suggested mutual and international cooperation as a reliable approach towards solution.

Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the secretary general of the OIC also chaired a session in the international water forum and he also headed the ministerial meeting of the OIC member states. The theme of the OIC ministerial meeting was "water vision for OIC."

The OIC Secretary General called for developing sustainable proposals aiming to address water problems. He said clean water is a requisite for good health and therefore the problem of water pollution should figure out more important among the proposals and action plans to address water problems.

Ihsanoglu also called on the ministers in charge of water issues in the OIC member states to develop feasible proposals that would ensure a balance between water consumption and its conservation.

He pointed up the ramifications that might arise out of water scarcity that may aggravate the food problem in the OIC member states. He explained that the OIC member states face shortage in food, inducing most of them who import food staples from other countries. He emphasized that the global hike in food prices, coupled with drought in some OIC member states, requires urgent action on food security issue.

Serving as stepping-stones towards global collaboration on water problems, the World Water Forum is a unique platform where the water community and the policy and decision-makers from all regions of the world can link together, debate and attempt to find solutions to achieve water security.

World Water Forum by the World Water Council is organized every three years in close collaboration with the authorities of the hosting country and is the largest international event in the field of water. The forum was held in Morocco in 1997, the Netherlands in 2000, Japan in 2003 and Mexico in 2006. More than twenty-five thousand participants took part in the fifth forum held in Turkey. However, the OIC ministerial meeting was the first such event to dwell on water issues in the Muslim world.

The OIC ministerial meeting was earleir recommended during a special session arranged by COMSTECH Inter-Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management (INWRDAM), in cooperation with OIC General Secretariat and Islamic Development Bank during October 18-19, 2008. The session was called to launch the OIC Water Vision process.

It was attended by H.E. Professor Atta-ur-Rahman, Coordinator General of COMSTECH and H.E. Professor Anwar Battikhi, Secretary General of the Higher Council for Science and Technology, Amman, Jordan (HCST) in addition to more than twelve esteemed water scientists from OIC member states’ institutions.

Reported By: Ameen Amjad

COMSTECH Launches Technology Forum

A Technology Forum Launched for Islamic Countries
(Islamabad) Organization of the Islamic Conference Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) has launched a Technology Forum through which all OIC member states can offer their endogenously developed technologies to other countries of the OIC. The countries seeking some specific technology can also contact COMSTECH Secretariat for routing of their demand to other member states.

“There are a number of technologies which have been developed within the OIC member states and have been commercialized. These are available in various fields of engineering, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, biotechnology, medicine, agriculture, agro-food, energy etc. There may be many companies within the OIC member states who are willing to offer such technologies to other OIC countries on mutually acceptable terms of sharing of royalties or as joint venture partnerships. COMSTECH has therefore launched the “COMSTECH Technology Forum” which will allow member states having suitable technologies to offer to other OIC member states through this forum.” said the Program in-charge.

“Similarly OIC Member States which are interested in acquiring specific technologies can place their requirements on the COMSTECH website so that they can benefit through the expertise available in other Member States”, he added.

It is expected that COMSTECH Technology Forum will serve as an important open tool for the promotion of industrial and technological collaboration and cooperation among OIC member states through sharing of useful technologies for industrial production. Further information regarding how to share technology is available at COMSTECH website www.comstech.org.

Report by,
Ameen Amjad
Islamabad, Pakistan