The Ministerial Standing Committee of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) on Scientific and Technological Co-operation (Comstech) fetched a contribution of 2.1 million dollars during 2004-05 from the member states.
Though resource position shows steady improvement during the last few years, as it increased 2.07496 million dollars during 2004-05 but still not at all enough to cope with the prevalent gap of science and technology in Muslim countries as compared to developed world.
As many as 17 member states have made contribution including Oman $0.2 million, UAE $0.25 million, Turkey, Pakistan and Iran contributed $0.1 million each, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia $0.18 million and $0.095 million respectively.
The rise in funding is an outcome of the efforts of Chairman, Comstech and Co-ordinator General, besides funding from member states, Comstech also receives finances from international donor organisations to run many of its programmes.
Comstech was established by the Islamic Summit in 1981 and it is composed of all the member states of OIC.
The main Objectives for establishing Comstech include assessment of the human and material resources of OIC member states and determination of science and technology needs and requirements. Building up the indigenous capability of member states in the fields of science and technology through co-operation and mutual assistance. Promotion of co-operation and co-ordination amongst the member states in science and technology. Creation of an effective institutional structure of planning, research and development and monitoring of science and technology activities in high technology areas.
Comstech is striving for the promotion of science and technology in the Muslim world and has taken a number of steps for the purpose, however lack of contributions from more than 80 percent of the member states continue to place severe limitations on Comstech's ability to expand its programmes and provide assistance to more members of the scientific community in the OIC region.
The main objective of Comstech is to promote co-operation and collaboration amongst the Muslim countries in the fields of science and technology in order to achieve a collective problem solving capability within the Muslim world.
The strategy used to achieve this objective is to assist the member states of OIC in building of a sizeable and viable science and technology system in their own countries and secondly to help create effective institutional structures in high technology areas at regional and Ummah levels to meet the common needs of manpower training, planning, technology transfer and research and development in the member states.
Accordingly, a modest programme of action has been planned in which Comstech plays a catalytic role in initiating a change and providing critical impetus to the science and technology systems of individual countries. It also plays a synergetic role in complementing and updating the programme effort already in progress in the member states. Finally it plays a co-operative role in bringing together the member states to pool their intellectual resources for solving the problems of the Muslim world requiring science and technology for their solution.
In the past few years Comstech has made some efforts toward this objective and will continue the same strategy in future.
The Comstech Programme of Action is prepared on a biennial basis in accordance with the requirements of the 20-year Perspective Plan of Action, approved by the Islamic Summit in 1984 and the guidelines and strategy approved at the Fifth Islamic Summit in 1987.
A number of operational activities are planned to meet the objectives of the plan, such as the holding of seminars and workshops, preparation of profiles and reports, exchange of information, scientometric and futuristic studies, transfer of technology, survey of resources, research support, data bases and institution building.
Within the programme strategy, priority has been given to training and updating of the know-how of workers participating in the programme. National institutions, Comstech networks and some regional organisations are associated with these training programmes. Strengthening of national and regional science and technology capabilities has been the main effort of the programme.
To carry on the momentum of their joint activities for the promotion of science and technology in the OIC region Comstech and Isesco, have planned to organise an International Training Workshop on Patents to be held in Hyderabad, from December 02-04.
National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, has been entrusted to organise this event. The idea behind arranging this workshop is to foster research and development of the technology for patent search and retrieval by providing a forum in which researchers and practitioners from relevant communities of OIC countries can share their ideas, approaches, perspectives, and experiences from their work in progress.
Under the joint Comstech and Isesco collaboration programme for 2005-2006, Inter-Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management (Inwrdam), which is a specialised Network of the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Co-operation (Comstech) on water resource management is going to organise an International Training Workshop on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) from December 15 in Egypt.
Another important activity has been planned under the joint collaboration programme between Comstech and Isesco to promote adaptation of modern technologies and awareness of global trading scenario, especially WTO, in the African region.
For this purpose Comstech and Isesco will be sponsoring a Regional Training Workshop on Trade, Rules and Regulation to be held during November 14-17 at Banjul, Gambia. Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) will host this important Workshop.
The 24th meeting of Executive Committee of Comstech is going to be held on 1st November 2005 in Islamabad, prior to the 12th General Assembly meeting of Comstech also scheduled in Islamabad from 22- 24th November.
Several agenda items will come under discussion with mutual consent, which will include; review of activities implemented by Comstech approved during 23rd meeting of Comstech Executive Committee and the 11th General Assembly meeting, financial contributions from member states, status of inter-Islamic networks, status of construction of building for Comstech Secretariat and Training Complex and actions taken by Co-ordinator General since last Executive Committee meeting. New initiatives and policy guidelines endorsed by the Executive Committee will also be discussed during the meeting.
The 12th General Assembly Session of Comstech, OIC Ministerial Standing Committee for Science and Technology would be held on November 22-24 in Islamabad in which a detailed report on the steps taken by the Comstech during last two years will be presented.
The Ministers In-charge of Science and Technology from 57 member states along with their delegations, the Secretary General OIC, President of IDB, Head of Inter-Islamic Networks and international organisations are expected to attend the mega event.
The heads of country delegation will also announce financial contributions so that the existing programmes could be strengthened and deliberations would focus on reviewing the resolutions adopted and programmes launched at the 11th General Assembly meeting and ways and means to make it more vibrant.
Although the Comstech is making all efforts in bridging the gap between Muslim World and the West concerning science and technology but the insufficiency of funds is the biggest impediment in its path. The apathy of Muslim countries, the OIC member states in this regard is highly deplorable.
The governments of Muslim countries must fund the Comstech enabling it to carry on its plans, which are aimed at bringing the Muslim world at par with the West.