Accra, Ghana – The Executive Director of the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria, called on the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, who currently serves as the Chairperson of COMSATS. The high-level meeting took place at Jubilee House, the official residence and office of the President.
Ambassador Zakaria is visiting Accra at the head of a four-member delegation from the COMSATS Secretariat. The meeting was also attended by Ghana’s Minister of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), H.E. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah; Chief Director of MEST, Madam Suweibatu Adam; and the Director General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Prof. Paul Pinnock Bosu.
During the meeting, Ambassador Zakaria paid tribute to the visionary behind COMSATS and expressed deep appreciation for Ghana’s longstanding support as a founding member and for its active leadership since assuming the Chair of COMSATS in 2012.
The Executive Director provided an overview of COMSATS’ ongoing initiatives and recent achievements, including the establishment of an ISO-certified Nanotechnology Laboratory, the development of indigenous electric vehicle (EV) technology conforming to international standards, and efforts in promoting collaborative research and development, postgraduate scholarships, and capacity-building programs.
In alignment with Ghana’s national development priorities, Ambassador Zakaria presented a set of technology-based solutions across key sectors such as environment, energy, higher education and skills development, and transportation. He also offered specialized support in advanced areas such as genomic sequencing and telehealth services.
Key strategic issues discussed during the meeting included the upcoming COMSATS General Meeting at the summit level to be held in Ghana, expansion of the Commission’s membership, deeper focus on environmental sustainability, and increased allocation of resources for science and technology initiatives to keep pace with emerging global trends.
President Mahama lauded COMSATS as a vital intergovernmental platform that leverages science, technology, and innovation to promote sustainable development across the Global South. He reaffirmed Ghana’s full commitment and support to COMSATS and provided strategic guidance for further strengthening collaboration among its 27 Member States.
In addition to the presidential meeting, Ambassador Zakaria held separate discussions with the Chief Director of MEST and the Director General of CSIR. These meetings were described as highly productive, yielding several concrete outcomes aimed at deepening Ghana-COMSATS cooperation in the field of science and technology.
BY: The Times Union
