Issued by: Government and Communication Information (GCIS)
THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS, CULTURE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN
On behalf of the South African Government, Mr Roger Jardine, Director-General of the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, today signed a Science and Technology Agreement with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, represented by Mr Shamshad Ahmad, Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
The Agreement is a result of the decision to strengthen ties between the two countries in the fields of scientific and technological endeavour and is formulated to enable co-operation on the basis of equality and mutual advantage. It is anticipated that the Agreement will open doors for the exchange of scientists, researchers and scholars, and will facilitate the transfer of technical information between the two countries.
Mr Jardine said that the joint identification of scientific and technical problems, the development of research programmes and the application to both South Africa and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The exchange of experience and the know-how resulting from research and its applications will also benefit both partners.
The fact that the utilisation and exchange of patents based on joint projects of research and development and the creation of conditions for their commercialisation will promote the introduction into production of scientific and technological advances and the effective realisation of output was highlighted by Mr Jardine. He noted that there will also be financial terms and conditions established.
Mr Jardine said that he was pleased to announce that the science and technology communities of both countries will now be in a position to exchange visits, gather information and apply such information to the benefit of both countries. This will equip them well for meeting the new millenium.
Mr Jardine said that this Agreement with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan was part of a concerted effort by the Department to ensure that South Africa participates meaningfully in the international arena of science and technology. The Department has signed twenty-one science and technology agreements since 1994 and has budgeted and amount of approximately R17 million for grants under these agreements.
For more information please contact Dr Neville Arendse of the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology at telephone number (012) 337-8282.
Pretoria
9 March 1999