15 October 2025 | Amman, Jordan — The Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), in partnership with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), the Royal Scientific Society (RSS), and the Princess Sumaya University for Technology (PSUT), convened a high-level international training workshop on “Applications of Emerging Technologies and Artificial Intelligence for Advancing Science, Technology and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” at PSUT, Amman.
Held under the esteemed patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, President of RSS, the event brought together distinguished experts, policymakers, and academics from Iran, Bangladesh, Benin, Nigeria, Jamaica, Pakistan, Morocco, and Jordan, representing domains including industry, healthcare, climate resilience, and digital governance. The workshop served as a knowledge-exchange platform for advancing Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a transformative instrument for sustainable development across the Global South and deepening cooperation among COMSATS’ Centres of Excellence.
In her inaugural address, Prof. Dr. Wejdan Abu El-Haija, President of PSUT, lauded COMSATS and its partners for fostering an evidence-based dialogue at the intersection of AI and sustainability. She reaffirmed Jordan’s national commitment to cultivating an enabling ecosystem for AI innovation and digital transformation, aligned with the country’s science and technology vision under the leadership of Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya.
Addressing participants, Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria, Executive Director COMSATS, contextualized the discussion within the global AI landscape, noting that while global frontrunners are investing hundreds of billions in AI ecosystems, developing nations must prioritize indigenous research capacity, human capital, and context-driven innovation to equitably harness the technological dividends of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Representing ICESCO, Dr. Adel Smeda, Expert on Science and Environment, commended the trilateral collaboration among COMSATS, ICESCO, and PSUT, emphasizing that AI’s transformative power must be guided by equity, inclusivity, and human-centered principles to ensure that technological advancement contributes to shared prosperity across the Islamic world and the Global South.
The technical deliberations spanned applications of AI in biomedical sciences, industrial optimization, energy systems, climate analytics, natural resource management, and ethical governance. Experts presented cross-sectoral case studies demonstrating AI’s role in tackling challenges such as antimicrobial resistance, climate adaptation, clean energy transition, and gender disparities in technology leadership.
Prof. Dr. Haseena Khan (University of Dhaka, Bangladesh) delivered a comprehensive exposition on AI and Big Data in Biomedical Research, illustrating how AI-driven computational models are revolutionizing biological data interpretation, disease prediction, and therapeutic innovation. Her insights underscored the necessity of integrating AI-enabled platforms into healthcare systems to strengthen public health preparedness and biomedical discovery in developing economies.
Prof. Dr. Rahmat Sotudeh-Gharebagh (University of Tehran, Iran) discussed AI Integration in Industrial and Energy Systems, elucidating how advanced predictive analytics and machine learning algorithms can drive industrial efficiency, optimize energy consumption, and minimize carbon emissions. He elaborated on real-time process control, cyber-physical system integration, and digital twins as transformative enablers of data-informed industrial reliability and sustainability.
Dr. Djagoun Chabi A. M. Sylvestre (University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin) presented on Innovative Technologies for Natural Resource Management, providing a scientifically rich account of how frontier tools, including radio tracking, isotopic tracing, drone-assisted monitoring, and DNA barcoding, can be integrated into ecological research for biodiversity preservation. His case studies from Benin exemplified the pragmatic deployment of these technologies for wildlife protection, resource management, and anti-poaching efforts, thus demonstrating how digital ecology can advance sustainability in resource-constrained settings.
Dr. Sufyan Almajali (Princess Sumaya University for Technology, Jordan) explored AI for Predictive Climate Modeling and Resilience, focusing on the role of AI-based simulations in forecasting climate anomalies, managing water scarcity, and enhancing governance mechanisms through data-driven decision systems. He underscored the emerging intersection between quantum computing and AI in optimizing large-scale environmental datasets to improve climate adaptation policies in the MENA region.
Mr. Azhar Zia-ur-Rehman (International Governance Consultant, Pakistan) addressed Ethical and Regulatory Dimensions of AI Governance, emphasizing the urgent need for globally coherent standards and legislative frameworks. He discussed the ethical implications of algorithmic bias, data sovereignty, and accountability, advocating for institutionalized ethical oversight, AI audit systems, and transparency mechanisms to ensure responsible technology deployment.
Prof. Dr. Ishenkumba A. Kahwa (University of the West Indies, Jamaica) shared Caribbean Innovations in Science and Technology, highlighting regionally grounded yet globally relevant models of resilience and sustainable development. Drawing from initiatives such as the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre and the Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility, he illustrated how regional collaboration and innovation ecosystems can serve as scalable templates for climate adaptation and disaster preparedness in other parts of the Global South.
Dr. Bolanle Ojokoh (Federal University of Technology, Nigeria) led a session on Gender Inclusion in Artificial Intelligence, presenting a critical reflection on persistent gender disparities in AI research and participation. She underscored the importance of democratizing AI education, promoting gender-responsive innovation ecosystems, and integrating inclusivity principles into AI design. She posited that AI, when leveraged ethically, could itself become a catalyst for closing gender gaps and empowering women in STEM fields across developing regions.
The workshop also culminated in a policy panel on “Trustworthy AI in Practice: Transparency, Accountability, and Societal Alignment,” moderated by Dr. Adel Smeda, featuring Dr. Haseena Khan, Dr. Rahmat Sotudeh-Gharebagh, Dr. Bolanle Ojokoh, and Prof. Dr. Mohammad Al Nabhan from PSUT. The discussion examined the ethical, regulatory, and governance dimensions of AI deployment, emphasizing the importance of AI literacy, ethical oversight, bias-aware system design, and inclusive policymaking to ensure that emerging technologies remain transparent, equitable, and aligned with societal well-being.
Attended by over 100 participants, both in-person and online, from COMSATS and ICESCO Member States, PSUT, and RSS, the workshop reinforced COMSATS’ mandate of promoting South–South cooperation in science, technology, and innovation. The participants concluded with a shared resolve to strengthen collaborative frameworks for ethical and sustainable AI adoption that advances the developmental aspirations of the Global South.
