Latest
Sixth International Training Course on Industrial Synthetic Biotechnology (ITC-ISB) Sixth International Training Course on Industrial Synthetic Biotechnology (ITC-ISB)

3rd Commission Meeting of COMSATS

Group Photo of Participants (October 2015), Accra

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Foundation Meeting of COMSATS

The Prime Minister of Pakistan, H.E. Benazir Bhutto, delivering the inaugural address at the Foundation Meeting of COMSATS in Islamabad (October 1994)

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3rd Meeting of Consultative Committee

Group Photo of Participants (October 2015), Accra

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COMSATS Coordinating Council

Group Photo of the Member of Coordinating Council (June 2026), Surabaya

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ANSO-COMSATS-TWAS

Conference on Sustainable Future Inaugurated in Islamabad

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ANSO–COMSATS International Conference

on AI-Enabled Solutions for Water Inaugurated

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ANSO-COMSATS International Conference

on AI-Enabled Solutions for Water Concludes Successfully

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COMSATS & OPM Pakistan

Formalize Strategic Cooperation in Climate Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction

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COMSATS and YEM-SCI

Sign MoU to Strengthen Scientific Cooperation

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ANSO-CPJRC-COMSATS

Successfully Conduct International Training Workshop on Disaster Risk Reduction and Green Development for CPEC

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COMSATS at a Glance

COMSATS is an intergovernmental organization promoting scientific and technological cooperation among countries of the Global South. Its network comprises 27 Member States and 25 Centres of Excellence

COMSATS Headquarters, Islamabad
1994
Established
Who We Are

Empowering Global South with Science & Technology

Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) is an Intergovernmental Organization (IGO), established in 1994. COMSATS Membership comprises 13 countries from Asia, 12 from Africa and two from Latin America.

27 Member States

Members to its Commission from across three continents, Africa, Asia and Latin America.

25 Centres of Excellence

The Network strengthens scientific and technological capacity through cooperation.

South-South Cooperation

Connecting governments, scientists and institutions for shared development.

32 Years of Commitment

Advancing sustainable development through science and technology.

Our Organs Explore the Network
The Commission

The Commission is the highest forum of COMSATS, which is represented by the Heads of State/Government of COMSATS’ Member States.

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The Consultative Committee

The Consultative Committee comprises of national scientific Focal Points of COMSATS Member States.

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The Network of Centres of Excellence

The Coordinating Council of COMSATS comprises the Heads of its International S&T Centres of Excellence.

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The Secretariat

The Secretariat of the Commission is permanently located in Islamabad, and is headed by the Executive Director, who acts as the Secretary of the Commission.

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Latest News

Explore the Latest News, Activities and Developments from COMSATS and its Network.

ANSO-COMSATS-TWAS Conference on Sustainable Future Inaugurated in Islamabad
Featured Oct 16, 2026

ANSO-COMSATS-TWAS Conference on Sustainable Future Inaugurated in Islamabad

A 3 day ANSO-COMSATS-TWAS Conference on “A Sustainable Future for All Living Species on Planet Earth” commenced today in Islamabad, bringing together international scientists, researchers, policymakers and young scholars to strengthen scientific cooperation and advance sustainable development across the Global South.

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ANSO Governing Board Meeting – COMSATS Participates as Member
Oct 21, 2026

ANSO Governing Board Meeting – COMSATS Participates as Member

The Executive Director COMSATS, Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria participated at the 13th Meeting of Governing Board of the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO).
COMSATS and D-8 sign MoU to promote collaboration in ST&I for Sustainable Development
Oct 20, 2026

COMSATS and D-8 sign MoU to promote collaboration in ST&I for Sustainable Development

Islamabad, 20th October 2026, COMSATS and the Developing-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (D-8) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a formal framework for cooperation in science, technology and innovation for sustainable development of their Member States.

ANSO-COMSATS International Conference on AI-Enabled Solutions for Water concludes successfully
Sep 25, 2026

ANSO-COMSATS International Conference on AI-Enabled Solutions for Water concludes successfully

Islamabad, 26th September 2026. The four-day "ANSO–COMSATS Conference on Artificial Intelligence Enabled Solutions for Sustainable Water Governance, Security and Safety" successfully concluded in Islamabad. The conference was organized by the Commission on Science and Technology...
ANSO–COMSATS International Conference on AI-Enabled Solutions for Water Inaugurated
Sep 21, 2026

ANSO–COMSATS International Conference on AI-Enabled Solutions for Water Inaugurated

On 22 September 2026, A 4 day "ANSO–COMSATS Conference on Artificial Intelligence Enabled Solutions for Sustainable Water Governance, Security and Safety" has been inaugurated today in Islamabad. Under the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt...
COMSATS, UNESCO Pakistan and ECOSF Launch Joint Regional Webinar Series on Science, Ethics and Innovation
Sep 8, 2026

COMSATS, UNESCO Pakistan and ECOSF Launch Joint Regional Webinar Series on Science, Ethics and Innovation

Islamabad, 9 September 2026: The COMSATS Secretariat, in collaboration with the UNESCO Pakistan Office and the Economic Cooperation Organization Science Foundation (ECOSF), launched a Joint Regional Webinar Series on Science, Ethics and Innovation under the International Decade o...
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Upcoming Events

Conferences, workshops, webinars and trainings from across the COMSATS network.

OCT 21 2026
Sixth International Training Course on Industrial Synthetic Biotechnology (ITC-ISB) Training
Featured Event

Sixth International Training Course on Industrial Synthetic Biotechnology (ITC-ISB)

The COMSATS Joint Center for Industrial Biotechnology (CCIB), in collaboration with the State Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, China, is organizing the Sixth International Training Course on Industrial Synthetic Biotechnology (ITC-ISB).

9:00 AM Beijing, China
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ANSO-COMSATS-TWAS Conference on “A Sustainable Future for All Living Species on Planet Earth”
13 OCT
Conference

ANSO-COMSATS-TWAS Conference on “A Sustainable Future for All Living Species on Planet Earth”

ANSO-COMSATS-TWAS Conference on "A Sustainable Future for All Living Species on Planet Earth" COMSATS, in collaboration with UNESCO-TWAS, the University of Trieste (Italy), and COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), organizing the ANSO-COMSATS-TWAS Conference on "A Sustainable Fu...

9:00 AM Islamabad, Pakistan
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Webinar 2: Ethics of Science and Technology
07 OCT
Webinar

Webinar 2: Ethics of Science and Technology

Scientific discoveries and technological innovation are creating new opportunities for sustainable development while also raising complex ethical, legal and societal questions. Emerging technologies and rapidly evolving scientific practices require responsible approaches that safeguard human rights, promote public interest and ensure that the benefits of scientific progress are shared equitably.

10:00 AM Online
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ANSO-COMSATS Conference on ‘Artificial Intelligence Enabled Solutions for Sustainable Water Governance, Security and Safety’
22 SEP
Conference

ANSO-COMSATS Conference on ‘Artificial Intelligence Enabled Solutions for Sustainable Water Governance, Security and Safety’

COMSATS recognizes the urgency of ensuring water security and safety, a global issue exacerbated by climate change, rapid urbanization, industrial expansion, population growth, and rising pollution. These challenges are even more acute in regions with vulnerable infrastructure, limited monitoring capacity, and heightened exposure to extreme environmental events.

9:00 AM Islamabad, Pakistan
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Announcements

Stay informed about the latest announcements, notices, and updates from COMSATS.

To promote academic excellence, COMSATS offers scholarships and fellowships to the students and researchers from Member States at its International S&T Centres of Excellence.

Open Call

Scholarships & Fellowships

To promote academic excellence, COMSATS offers scholarships and fellowships to the students and researchers from Member States at its International S&T Centres of Excellence.

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COMSATS Telehealth

Expanding remote healthcare access and capacity across Member States.

CCCS

COMSATS Centre for Climate & Sustainability initiatives and cooperation.

CCIB

COMSATS Joint Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and applied research.
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Heads of COMSATS Organs

Hon. John Dramani Mahama
The Commission

Hon. John Dramani Mahama

Chairperson, COMSATS

President of the Republic of Ghana

Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria
The Secretariat

Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria

Executive Director

COMSATS Secretariat, Islamabad

Mr. Shahid Iqbal Baloch
Consultative Committee

Mr. Shahid Iqbal Baloch

Chairperson, Consultative Committee

Secretary, Ministry of Science & Technology, Pakistan

Prof. Dr. Jibin Sun
Coordinating Council

Prof. Dr. Jibin Sun

Chairperson, Coordinating Council

Professor, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, China

Host Country — Pakistan

The Secretariat of the Commission is permanently located in Islamabad, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Pakistan Monument, Islamabad, a landmark of the host city of COMSATS
Flag of Pakistan
Host Country Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Islamabad

Pakistan Monument

A defining landmark of the capital that hosts the COMSATS Secretariat

Meetings of Statutory Bodies

General Meetings of the Commission

General Meetings of the Commission
COMSATS Consultative Committee Meetings

COMSATS Consultative Committee Meetings
COMSATS Coordinating Council Meetings

COMSATS Coordinating Council Meetings

COMSATS Network

27 Member States, 25 Centres of Excellence and flagship programmes across the Global South

COMSATS Member Countries

Flag of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Flag of China
China
Flag of Colombia
Colombia
Flag of Egypt
Egypt
Flag of The Gambia
The Gambia
Flag of Ghana
Ghana
Flag of Iran
Iran
Flag of Jamaica
Jamaica
Flag of Jordan
Jordan
Flag of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Flag of Morocco
Morocco
Flag of Nigeria
Nigeria
Flag of Korea (DPR)
Korea (DPR)
Flag of Pakistan
Pakistan
Flag of Palestine
Palestine
Flag of Philippines
Philippines
Flag of Senegal
Senegal
Flag of Somalia
Somalia
Flag of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Flag of Sudan
Sudan
Flag of Syria
Syria
Flag of Tanzania
Tanzania
Flag of Tunisia
Tunisia
Flag of Türkiye
Türkiye
Flag of Uganda
Uganda
Flag of Yemen
Yemen
Flag of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe

COMSATS’ Centres of Excellence

So far, 25 Centres of Excellence (highly reputed centres of science and technologies in the South) have been selected as nodes and are playing leading roles in their respective areas of specialization.

Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria
Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria Executive Director · COMSATS
From the Secretariat

Executive Director’s Message

The idea of human development has evolved for the better over decades to include other dimensions culminating in an all-encompassing concept of Sustainable Development. Since the idea started being popularized in 1980s and well into the third decade of the 21st century, the globe has seen and continues to see different dimensions of growth.

Digital revolution has brought a swifter change in the world affecting the narrative of growth far quickly than the industrial revolutions of the 20th Century. Transcending the Hobbesian idea of security, the world has experiences welcome shifts towards cooperation and mutual co-existence, especially after Cold War.

Read full Message

Publications

Browse the COMSATS digital library — reports, journals, newsletters and brochures

13. S&T Policies and Strategies for Sustainable Development (Aug. 2008)
Preview Download
S&T Series

13. S&T Policies and Strategies for Sustainable Development (Aug. 2008)

2008 PDF
Foundation Documents
Preview Download
Foundation Documents

Foundation Documents

COMSATS foundation documents (with amendments), January 2014.

2014 PDF 106
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FAQs

Answers to common questions about COMSATS membership, scholarships and our network of Centres of Excellence

What is COMSATS?

COMSATS stands for the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South. It is an intergovernmental organization comprising 27 Member States across Asia, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

When was COMSATS established?

COMSATS was established in October 1994 following the signing of an International Agreement in Islamabad, Pakistan

What was the purpose of establishing COMSATS?

The increasing developmental gap between the developed countries (the North) and the developing countries (the South), on the whole, gave rise to the need for enlarging the available opportunities in the South for capacity-building in Science and Technology, which is the basic driver of economic progress.

 The conceptual foundation of COMSATS rests on the realization that the developing countries are in a position to help one another in different sectors of S&T, because of their different areas of strength and due to similarities in their working conditions, social environments and developmental needs. 

Who can become a member of COMSATS?

All developing countries are welcome to join COMSATS by signing an Accession Agreement and endorsing its Statutes. The Head of State/Government of acceding country becomes Member of the Commission. 

Who Can become a member of COMSATS Network of Centres of Excellence?

The Membership of the Network of Centres of Excellence is open to any suitably qualified institution proposed by a Developing Country. In principle, there shall be only one centre for each Country but, where merited, more than one institution may be admitted per Country.

 Following are the Steps for induction of a Centre/University (belonging to member country) in COMSATS' Network 

  1. Nomination of the proposed Centre/University by the relevant Ministry/Government Department of the member country to COMSATS Secretariat
  2. Submission of the duly filled-in requisite Proforma by the nominated Centre/University to COMSATS Secretariat for its technical evaluation as a prospective Centre of Excellence of COMSATS.
  3. Technical assessment of the nominated Centre/University by the relevant member(s) of COMSATS' Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), if needed.
  4. Consideration by the Chairperson and Members of Coordinating Council in light of the filled-in Proforma and technical assessment made by TAC member(s).   
  5. Decision of the Coordinating Council regarding the induction of the nominated Centre in COMSATS' Network, at one of its meetings or by circulation.