ISLAMABAD: A four-day conference focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions for sustainable water governance was inaugurated in Islamabad, highlighting the crucial role of technology in addressing global water challenges. The event, part of the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations (ANSO) initiative, is organized by the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) and is endorsed as an official activity of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD) 2024-2033, led by UNESCO.

According to the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in The South, the conference gathers experts and collaborators from around the world, including institutions like the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, National Research Centre of Egypt, and the Global Climate-Change Impact Studies Center of Pakistan. Rana Ahmad Atteeq Anwer, Coordinator to the Prime Minister for Science and Technology, emphasized the growing stress on water systems due to climate change and other factors and discussed Pakistan’s comprehensive water-security agenda.

Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria, Executive Director of COMSATS, praised ANSO and its partners, noting the strategic significance of the conference and the transformative potential of AI in addressing water-related challenges. He emphasized the conference’s alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 6. Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar, Rector of COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), spoke on the importance of emerging technologies and stressed the need for ethical AI approaches.

Dr. Zhijun YI, Deputy Executive Director of ANSO, expressed confidence in COMSATS activities and reaffirmed ANSO’s commitment to international scientific cooperation. The event attracted diplomats and experts from numerous countries, with over 50 participants from Pakistani organizations and more than 100 online attendees.