WASHINGTON: In a significant development, Pakistan and the United States have extended the Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation between the two countries for another five years with sharing of diplomatic note between the officials of the two governments.

Ambassador Sardar Muhammad Masood Khan, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States, and Jason Donovan, Director Office of Science and Technology Cooperation in Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES/STC), US Department of State, witnessed the ceremony. Muhammad Saad Ahmed, on behalf of Government of Pakistan, and Ms. Michelle Sheckells from the U.S. State Department exchanged the documents.

The purposes of the Agreement are to strengthen 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.

The two sides will under the Agreement cooperate through 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 the Government of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the United States of America 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 challenge pertaining to climate change, energy, agriculture and IT.

He expressed the hope that 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.