Reverse Linkage

110 REVERSE LINKAGE ECO Science Foundation – a catalyst for promoting science, technology and innovation in the ECO region Prof. Dr. Manzoor Hussain Soomro, President, ECOSF I n the era of globalisation and knowledge-based econ- omies, the role of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) is critical in the effort to achieve inclusive economic growth and sustainable development. Adequate investment in STI builds a strong foundation that helps sustain growth as well as boost community well-being and the integrated development of any nation. However, there is recognition of a demand and supply gap in the STI workforce in the Global South. Current efforts are not enough, and there is a long way to go in order to bridge this gap. We must therefore consolidate efforts by devel- oping effective collaboration mechanisms and leverage our limited resources to make a significantly large impact without duplication of effort and a waste of resources. The Economic CooperationOrganization Science Foundation (ECOSF) is an intergovernmental body and specialised agency of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). It was established in Islamabad, Pakistan in 2011 with a mandate to promote scientific and technological research with the goal of raising the socio-economic standing of ten member states – Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. ECOSF serves as a platform for contribution towards the promotion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education to strengthen the science base of future generations and the regional economy of ECO member states. The Foundation is at the cornerstone of Triangular Cooperation (South-South-North) in STI capacity build- ing. Despite its relatively young age, it has established itself as a successful regional organization with a strong working collaboration with a number of key players. ECOSF has undertaken initiatives that supplement and compliment its STI programmes with the help of strategic partners to boost capacity building and contribute towards regional coop- eration and economic and cultural integration. It strives to engage youth in all its activities and integrates a gender perspective into policies, plans and actions directed towards socio-economic development in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the ECO Vision 2025. The rapid industrialisation and economic boost achieved by the Four Asian Tigers – Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan – is encouraging. Despite being low in natural resources, these economies have achieved exceptionally high economic growth, linked mainly to their supportive policies and investments in STI sectors, which have enabled them to establish a competitive edge among the top world economies. However, many countries in the Global South have not advanced steadily despite their huge natural resources, mainly due to less supportive policies and a lack of focus and investment in STI capacity building. It is evident that those countries must build their scientific and technological competitiveness to begin the journey towards sustainable economic growth. The region can achieve global competi- tiveness only if it promotes and produces qualified human resources and a STEM workforce to respond to the global challenges of water, climate change, energy and food secu- rity for future generations. ECOSF believes that there is a need to increase efforts to build a strong Science and Technology (S&T) base in the ECO region. As such, the Foundation is proud to partner The capacity building workshop, Astana, Kazakhstan, held in 2015 Image: ECOSF