Islamabad, 27 November 2025 – The Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) and the China-Pakistan Joint Research Center on Earth Sciences (CPJRC) have entered into a formal cooperation arrangement through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This partnership establishes a framework for scientific, technological, and policy cooperation to confront escalating challenges in water insecurity, land degradation, natural hazards, and climate-induced vulnerabilities across the Global South and the broader One Belt One Road (OBOR) geography.
The MoU was formalized at COMSATS Secretariat by Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria, Executive Director COMSATS, and Prof. Dr. Hong Tianhua, Executive Director CPJRC. The ceremony brought together diplomats from Bangladesh, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Yemen, and Zimbabwe, alongside senior officials from COMSATS, and CPJRC, reflecting the high-level multilateral importance accorded to the partnership.
CPJRC, jointly established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC), stands as a premier hub for advanced research on natural hazards, Earth systems science, ecological protection, and sustainable development. Its mandate to generate cutting-edge scientific knowledge, cultivate research talent, and enable Sino-Pakistan innovation ecosystems positions it as a critical partner in strengthening regional climate resilience.
In his remarks, Ambassador Dr. Zakaria underscored the acute urgency of addressing water scarcity, food insecurity, and climate risks confronting developing nations. He emphasized that the MoU embodies the ethos of South–South cooperation and signals a shared resolve to leverage science, technology, and innovation for a water- and food-secure future. Prof. Dr. Hong Tianhua highlighted CPJRC’s major initiatives, endorsed by the Government of Pakistan, particularly those advancing disaster prediction and control, including early-warning systems for glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), seismic hazards, and landslides. He reaffirmed that the partnership with COMSATS will enhance cross-border research capability and accelerate the deployment of integrated hazard-mitigation solutions.
The MoU establishes a comprehensive cooperation architecture covering joint scientific research; multi-disciplinary capacity-building; technological exchange; policy dialogues; and collaborative initiatives in glaciology, hydrology, geospatial analytics, environmental monitoring, land-use planning, and climate-resilience modelling. Both institutions will facilitate the exchange of scientific data, remote-sensing tools, and early-warning technologies to strengthen evidence-based governance and regional preparedness.
Anchored in COMSATS’ mandate as an intergovernmental organization of 27 member countries and its specialized climate arm, the COMSATS Centre for Climate and Sustainability (CCCS), the collaboration aims to consolidate South–South scientific partnerships, broaden institutional linkages, and produce community-responsive solutions. The partnership is strategically aligned with global imperatives to strengthen anticipatory disaster governance, ensure responsible resource management, and build climate-resilient societies through innovation-driven, high-impact interventions.
