The Uzbek Ambassador Alisher Tukhtayev met with the Pakistani Minister of Science and Technology Khalid Hussain Magsi Wednesday.

During the meeting, the parties explored the ways to further develop bilateral cooperation in science, education and innovation.

The Ambassador Tukhtayev voiced a proposal to create a joint science and technology platform, which would include scientists, engineers, specialists and investors, in order to develop innovative solutions in areas that are important for the economic and social life of the two countries. They also exchanged views on the ways to enhance academic ties between the universities of Uzbekistan and Pakistan, launching educational and research projects between leading universities, and organizing exchange programs.

They stressed the importance of establishing joint research and practical cooperation in advanced scientific areas - medicine, vaccine production, information technologies and programming, agriculture, food security, rational management of water resources, climate change and effective use of desert areas.

The parties pointed to the need to establish cooperation between IT parks in Uzbekistan and Special Technology Zones in Pakistan and jointly develop relevant intellectual programs in various areas, with proposals expressed to support the participation of young people and women in the fields of science and technology, encourage their projects and startups, create scholarships, mentorship programs, and special platforms for female scientists.

They also reviewed the initiative to organize an Uzbekistan-Pakistan Science and Innovation Forum in order to discuss new joint projects, establish practical cooperation, and ensure regular dialogue.

At the end of the negotiations, an agreement was reached to develop a number of organizational mechanisms to implement these proposals.