Saudi Arabia hosted the historic meeting uplifting S & T development in the Islamic World

Saudi Arabia hosted the historic meeting uplifting S & T development in the Islamic World
Exclusive Report by: Manuel A. Amora

21 June 2010, RIYADH-Saudi Arabia – In an effort to build a closer ties among the OIC member states for effective Science and Technology development towards competitiveness in the global scene, a round the table meeting of the Budget Committee of COMSTECH Secretariat Science, Technology & Innovation Organization (STIO) made a historic decision on its meeting held today Monday, June 21, 2010 at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST).

The meeting was hosted by Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in coordination with COMSTECH (Committee on Scientific Technological Cooperation).

H.E. Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Suwaiyel, President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology-KACST, chaired the Meeting. H.E. Prof. Atta-ur-Rahman, Coordinator General COMSTECH on his introductory remarks was thankful for KACST and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in general for hosting the meeting and expresses his gratitude to the Secretary General of The Organization of Islamic Conference-OIC for his unequivocal support in making STIO a reality.

The said meeting were represented by Science and Technology Ministers from various Islamic country accompanied by their respective high ranking government officials.

STIO Budget and Programs Committee are comprised of Arab Republic of Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, Malaysia, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Republic of Senegal, Republic of Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic and General Secretariat of OIC and COMSTECH.

The discussions were summed up at the end of the conference and the following decisions were adopted and approved;

Conference Table: H.E. Senator & Federal Minister for Science and Technology , Pakistan Minister Muhammad Azam Khan Swati, H.E. Dr. Mohammed I. Al Suwaiyel, President of KACST and Syrian Minister for Higher Education Prof. Dr. Ghiath Barakat ( Sitting at the back Asst. Director Mohammed Al Badrani and Director Fahad S. Huraib of Directorate of International Cooperation-KACST and Dr. Abdullah bin Ahmad Al-Rasheed, KACST, Vice President Scientific Research with Syrian delegations.

1) Funds contributed by STIO member states will be spent for projects within their countries except for the bilateral and multilateral projects for which participating member states will decide on the extent of contribution of each country.

2) Projects will be within defined time frames and funding will be made available before initiating a project.

3) STIO will play role of a facilitator and coordinator to translate decisions into actions including marketing of projects and obtaining additional funds from international donor organizations.

4) STIO will identify qualified resource persons and scientists for project implementation.

5) Each participating country, when needed, will place a dynamic scientist in COMSTECH – STIO Islamabad to oversee the implementation of the programs for that country

The STIO programs will be major initiatives designed to uplift the status of science, technology and innovation in STIO member States and contribute to the process of socio-economic development.

Among the approved decisions is a budget of USD seventy million for the year 2011 intended for STIO programs. Member States may start programs immediately.

Member state present during the meeting pledged, in principle, commitment of a USD five million each, annually for this initiative.

In past years the outlook of the OIC member states in science and technology development remains insecure on account of inadequate funding available for development of S&T infrastructure and lack of political will in most countries. Realizing the adverse impact of this on the future of OIC member states, particularly the Islamic people from the OIC region, the Tenth Summit held in Malaysia decided to adopt Vision 1441 in 2003 and soon after, the Third Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference approved Ten-year Program of Action to meet challenges facing OIC in the 21st Century, thus – the creation of COMSTECH and STIO. – end-

Migration and Science

COMSTECH Coordinator General Prof. Attah-Ur-Rahman (Center)

Approaches such as flexible visa schemes, which encourage emigrants to make return visits home, may ease brain drain in the short term. But, in the end, only through socio-economic development and capacity building can countries hope to provide opportunities to lure back those who have left and keep others from leaving. That’s the message conveyed in an article examining the migration of knowledge workers in the latest issue of the TWAS Newsletter  on Migration and Science.

The main ‘push factors’ motivating scientists to go abroad are lack of career opportunities and low wages; relative weakness of higher education institutions; insufficient infrastructure and funding for science and research; and political instability and corruption. If developing countries are to discourage their best and brightest from emigrating, these fundamental problems will need to be addressed.

Brain drain is a global phenomenon that has even affected developed countries like the UK, which loses native-born workers to the US, Canada and Australia. But it is developing countries that bear the brunt of the problem.

Africa, in particular, continues to be hard hit by the loss of its knowledge workers, including scientists and health professionals. According to the World Bank, the continent sees some 80,000 highly skilled people a year migrate to work overseas. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that, since 1990, Africa has been losing some 20,000 doctors and academics every year.

It is estimated that one-third of all African scientists live and work in developed countries. Because most African countries finance students’ higher education, brain drain represents a double loss: not only is the continent losing many of its ‘best and brightest’, but the money spent on their education is lost as well.

The emigration of doctors and nurses to the North is a particular cause of concern, as it can significantly compromise a country’s capacity to deliver health care. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 13,000 doctors trained in sub-Saharan Africa are practising in Australia, Britain, Canada and the US.  

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The migration of intellectual workers and skilled personnel from the less developed countries, particularly from the poor countries, to the more developed or advanced countries termed as Brain-Drain is a global phenomenon. However, it hurts more, particularly in the area of Science and Technology, the progress of poor and developing countries and is a very serious matter which such countries must attend on urgent basis.

Most countries of OIC belong to the less developed part of the world and therefore, OIC is confronted with this serious problem and needs constant attention to deal with.

In this report, the problem, as in world over, particularly for OIC countries is briefly discussed describing the reasons and the possible remedial measures. Some aspects of OIC countries are also discussed with useful measures taken to deal with this problem. Examples of ICTP (Trieste, Italy) and CERN (Geneva, Switzerland) are mentioned as useful measures to arrest Brain Drain. Some steps taken by ISESCO, COMSTECH, IDB and other OIC organizations as well as OIC-countries and regions like Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, North Africa and Middle East etc. to arrest Brain-Drain are also mentioned.

In the end some high lights and main suggestions are listed which OIC could take up to tackle this important problem of preventing the Brain-Drain.

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An interesting correlation of scientific productivity with economic competitiveness has been observed. States which have made maximum contribution to international research such as Turkey, Malaysia, Iran and Saudi Arabia have also experienced growth in their exports. In most OIC countries however, economic activities are based on extraction and exploitation of natural resources rather than use of knowledge and technology for value addition. Only Turkey and Malaysia have managed to achieve diversification in their economies i-e a gradual shift from resource based to knowledge based production of products and processes (S.T.K Naim and Atta ur Rahman, 2005).    read more>>>>  

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Prof Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, TI, SI HI, NI, is a leading scientist and scholar in the field of organic chemistry from Pakistan, especially renowned for his research in the various areas relating to natural product chemistry. With over 700 publications in the field of his expertise, he is also credited for reviving the higher education and research practices in Pakistan[1] .  Taken from Wikipedia

Millions worldwide would like to switch countries: study

More than 2,700 people are sworn in as US citizens during naturalization ceremonies in April 2009 in Montebello, California. Some 700 million people worldwide, or more than all the adults of North and South America combined, think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence and want to permanently move to another country, a poll showed Tuesday.

Nov. 3, 2009 WASHINGTON (AFP) – Some 700 million people worldwide, or more than all the adults of North and South America combined, think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence and want to permanently move to another country, a poll showed Tuesday.

Residents of sub-Saharan African countries were the most likely to want to move abroad permanently, the polls conducted in 135 countries between 2007 and this year by Gallup showed.

On average, 38 percent of the adult population in sub-Saharan Africa, or around 165 million people, said they would up stakes and head for another country if they had the chance.

The most popular destination was the United States, where nearly a quarter of the 700 million — around 165 million people — said they would like to settle.

In joint second were Britain, Canada and France, each being named as the preferred destination of around 45 million people.

Thirty-five million said they would go to Spain, 30 million to Saudi Arabia, and 25 million each to Australia or Germany.

The least likely to want to emigrate were Asians — only one in 10 Asian adults said they would move to another country.

Nearly 260,000 people aged 15 years and older were surveyed, either by phone or face-to-face, for the poll, which has a margin of error of around five percent.

Migration and Development (GFMD)

The Philippine Consortium on Migration and Development (Philcomdev) is a network of 36 non-government organizations, people’s organizations, microfinance institutions, cooperatives, community based organizations, networks, and individuals who are involved in and converge their initiatives around the issue of migration, human rights and development – particularly the empowerment of migrants, overseas Filipinos, their families and communities as social development actors, addressing the social costs of migration, optimizing the benefits of migration, and contributing to people-oriented Philippine development.

This year, the Philippines will be hosting the Second Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) from October 27-30, 2008. Philcomdev will join hands with migrant organizations and social movements from all over the world to engage governments to develop a “migration and development paradigm” that affirms the human dignity of migrant workers, firmly places their inalienable rights at the center of development and addresses their myriad insecurities. Towards this, Philcomdev will be participating in the 2nd GFMD Official and CSO Parallel Events.

Philcomdev, together with its member and partner organizations will also be mounting several events that aim to deepen the discourse on migration and development as well as build information on and establish models of migration and development initiatives.

EVENTS

October 24-25, 2008
Parallel Conferences
Venue: AIM Conference Center
Co-sponsor: AIM Center for Policy Studies
October 24-25, 2008
Parallel Conferences
Venue: AIM Conference Center
Co-sponsor: AIM Policy Center

October 24
• Migration and Health: PhIlippine Dialogue (Main organizer: IDEALS)
• Solidarity Night and Welcome Dinner

October 25
• On International Migration and Health (Main organizers: International Centre on Migration and Health, The Hague Process on Refugees and Migration)

October 24-25
• On Migration, Remittances and Development (Main organizer: INAFI )

October 25, 2008
6:00 pm- 10:00 pm

Dinner
Venue: Sofitel
Co-sponsors: AIM Policy Center, Global Filipino Nation, National Reintegration Center for OFWs of the Department of Labor and Employment (NRC-DOLE), Habagat Foundation Netherlands

•Launching of the Galing ng Pinoy, Galing sa Pinoy Search for Best Practices on Migration and Development

•Recognition of Existing Migration and Development Initiatives of OF/OFW organizations, NGOs and LGUs

•Memorandum of Agreement Signing with 10 Provincial Governor and City Mayors Piloting Program on Leveraging Resources for Development

October 27-30, 2008
Venue: PICC
Co-sponsors: Department of Foreign Affairs, National Reintegration Center for OFWs of the Department of Labor and Employment (NRC)-DOLE)

•Exhibit of Best Practices on Migration and Development Initiatives of Government, NGOs, Overseas Filipino Organizations
•Exhibit of Products and Services of OFW Owned Enterprises

October 20, 2008 – November 7
Alternative development tours:

Laguna – San Pablo City OFW Center, community based coconut enterprises and Coco Trade Shop in San Pablo City Seven Lakes being funded by diaspora philanthropy and visit of other nearby sites – Pagsanjan, Villa Escudero

Batangas- visit of Batang Atikha (children of overseas Filipinos) project on savings and entrepreneurship, Italian Village in Mabini Batangas, Soro-soro Ibaba Development Cooperative (SIDC) , largest agri-based cooperative in the Philippines and investment open for OFWs in biogas and agri-based enterprises and visit sites – Tagaytay, Nasugbu etc

Nueva Ecija- visit of organic rice production being funded by OFWs, radio station being beamed to OFWs through internet and mobilizing resources of OFWs and visit sites- Baguio City, Vigan

Ifugao – visit of project Save the Ifugao Rice Terraces Movement (participate in planting or harvesting rice, Lagawe Rural Bank program for OFWs and Ifugao Rice Terraces.

Philcomdev believes that it is incumbent upon us to harness the development potentials of international migration, including “brain gain”, and use these potentials to minimize the social and economic costs of migration, contribute to the long-term economic development of the Philippines, and help create the conditions so that overseas work becomes an option rather than a necessity. All these efforts should be premised on the values of social justice, respect for human rights, and gender equality.

The Galing ng Pinoy, Galing sa Pinoy Search for Best Practices will recognize best practices of OF/OFW organizations on migration and development. The Search aims to generate information on migration and development initiatives undertaken by various Filipino organizations based abroad, help replicate and upscale best practices by linking them with other stakeholders – LGUs, local NGOs, etc., and redirect OF/OFW initiatives towards promoting migrants rights and welfare, helping in local economy development, and assisting in the productive and sustainable reintegration of OFs/OFWs. A Board of Judges composed of prestigious migrants’ rights and development advocates is now finalizing the manual for the Search.

Who can join? The Search is open to OFW organizations, home town associations (HTAs) based abroad who have programs and projects on:
• Promoting migrants rights and welfare
• Assisting Filipinos for reintegration preparedness (pre-departure, on-site, return)
• OFW/Diaspora philanthropy towards sustainable development (with impact on local economy development).

Contact Person:
Maya Bans-Cortina
sect_philcomdev@yahoo.com
4147826 or 3724992 loc 55
0639182774423

MOA Signing with 10 Provincial Governor and City Mayors Piloting Program on Leveraging Resources for Development.

In February 2008, Philcomdev embarked on its “Closer to Home Campaign”- to bring overseas Filipinos closer to their home by linking their development initiatives with development actors at the local level. The MOA signing will highlight the partnerships being forged between LGUs, local NGOs and social enterprises, and OF organizations towards promoting migrants’ rights and welfare, reintegration preparedness and harnessing the benefits of migration for local economy development.

Recognition of Existing Migration and Development Initiatives of OF/OFW organizations, NGOs and LGUs

PHILCOMDEV seeks to recognize existing best practices on migration and development. These may be in the field of promoting migrants’ rights and welfare, reintegration preparedness and local economic development. Sample experiences in leveraging diasphora philanthropy for local development and for social enterprise development include the following:

•Damayan, Stichting Habagat and Association of Bansalenos Worldwide have experience in leveraging diaspora philanthropy. They are able to raise funds from overseas Filipinos not only in the Netherlands but also in other countries as well. They are able to leverage the funds raised by overseas Filipinos with development agencies in the Netherlands. They are able to mobilize the local government to match their scholarship program. In November, Gov. Oscar Moreno of Misamis Oriental signed a peso to peso accord with Damayan and Stichting Habagat to match every peso donated by the group for development projects in the province.

•Initiatives of NGOs show that possibility of leveraging diaspora resources for social enterprise development. Atikha was able to mobilize diaspora philanthropy for product development and market development of community based coconut enterprises. The Department of Industry and the local government provided funds and other resources to match the funds donated by the overseas Filipinos to set up Coco Natur, a social enterprise of overseas Filipinos and coconut farmers.

Galing ng Pinoy…Galing sa Pinoy
Exhibit of Best Practices on Migration and Development

The exhibit will serve as a venue for information, technology, and trade exchanges. It will showcase migration and development initiatives, programs and services of government and NGOs as well as feature OFW funded enterprises and other social enterprises towards exploring joint ventures, investments opportunities, and market linkages.

Who can join? The exhibit is open to:
1.Selected organizations with best practices on migration and development initiatives;

2.OFW funded enterprises whose products have export potentials or whose products could be easily developed/improved to comply with international standards;

3.Cooperatives and other social enterprises; and

4.Government and NGO projects related to the theme.

Contact Person: Girlie Sarmiento

Philippine Dialogue on Migration and Health
24 October 2005, AIM Conference Center

A venue for discussing migration and health issues as well as looking for solutions, it will tackle
(1)the state of health of our migrant workers, especially women, and
(2)the exodus of Filipino health professionals and its impact on the Philippines healthcare system.

Contact Person:
Maya Bans-Cortina
sect_philcomdev@yahoo.com
4147826 or 3724992 loc 55
0639182774423