Pakistan’s Ambassador to US Masood Khan was in attendance.
Pak-US agreement is renewed for another five-year term.
Deal to strengthen scientific, technological, engineering capabilities.
Pakistan and the United States Wednesday officially prolonged their Science and Technology Cooperation agreement for another five-year term, formalising the extension by exchanging diplomatic notes by representatives from both countries.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, Masood Khan, and Jason Donovan, the director Office of Science and Technology Cooperation in Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES/STC), US Department of State, were present at the ceremony.
The documents were exchanged by officials from both nations including Muhammad Saad Ahmed, who was present there on behalf of the Government of Pakistan, and Michelle Sheckells from the US State Department.
The purposes of the agreement are to strengthen the scientific, technological and engineering capabilities of the parties, to broaden and expand relations between the extensive scientific and technological communities of both countries and to promote scientific and technological cooperation for peaceful purposes.
Under the agreement, the two sides will cooperate through the exchange of scientific and technical information; exchange of scientists and technical experts; convening of joint seminars and meetings; training of scientists and technical experts; conduct of joint research projects; educational exchanges related to science, technology and engineering; establishment of science-based public-private partnerships; and other forms of scientific and technological cooperation as may be mutually agreed upon.
The Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation between both countries was signed on June 25, 2003 and has been extended after every five years since then.
Welcoming the extension of the agreement, Ambassador Masood Khan said that the arrangement would serve as a framework for promoting cooperation between scientists, engineers and technology experts of the two countries to address challenges pertaining to climate change, energy, agriculture and IT.
He expressed the hope that a collaborative environment in science and technology would pave the way for a comprehensive dialogue between the two countries to forge a strong partnership in science and technology.