Islamabad, August 7, 2026: Pakistan and China on Friday reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in innovation, science, technology and investment as the Global South Innovation & Investment Summit 2026 brought together policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs and technology leaders to promote cross-border partnerships and sustainable economic development.
Jointly organized by OIC-COMSTECH, Pathfinder CITADEL Pakistan and the Commercial Culture Association of China (CCAC), the summit hosted a 13-member Chinese business delegation alongside senior government officials, diplomats, investors, chief executive officers, startup founders, university leaders, researchers and technology experts to explore opportunities for innovation-driven collaboration across the Global South.
Federal Minister for Investment and Chairman of the Board of Investment (BoI), Qaiser Sheikh, attended the summit as the chief guest. Other prominent speakers included Coordinator General OIC-COMSTECH Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Senior Honorary Advisor OIC-COMSTECH Dr. Shahid Mahmud, President Pathfinder CITADEL Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Asad Ikram, CCAC Deputy Secretary General Li Ang, and Deputy Secretary General Wu Chenxi.
Addressing the opening session, Prof. Dr. Iqbal Choudhary said the Global South, home to more than two billion people, possesses immense scientific, technological and entrepreneurial potential that must be transformed into innovation-led economic growth. He stressed that OIC member states should move beyond being consumers of imported technologies and become creators of indigenous solutions capable of addressing their own development challenges.
He highlighted COMSTECH’s ongoing initiatives to strengthen scientific cooperation among its 57 member states through research fellowships, academic mobility programmes, capacity-building initiatives, the COMSTECH AI Centre for Training and Research, the COMSTECH-Huawei ICT Academy, climate change and environmental programmes, the Technovation Academy, and collaborative platforms linking universities, research institutions, governments and industry. He emphasized that innovation must be supported through strategic investment, technology transfer and international partnerships to achieve sustainable socio-economic development.
In his keynote address, Federal Minister Qaiser Sheikh praised OIC-COMSTECH, Pathfinder CITADEL and CCAC for creating a platform that connects policymakers, entrepreneurs, scientists and investors from across the Global South.
He said Pakistan must now convert dialogue into tangible outcomes by transforming ideas into investments, proposals into joint ventures, innovation into production, and partnerships into exports and employment. He added that the next phase of Pakistan-China cooperation should focus on advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, technology commercialization, startup development, entrepreneurship and stronger collaboration between academia and industry.
The minister assured domestic and foreign investors that Pakistan remains committed to facilitating long-term investment through transparent policies, institutional support and a business-friendly environment.
Representing the visiting Chinese delegation, CCAC Deputy Secretary General Li Ang commended OIC-COMSTECH for its leadership in organizing the summit and thanked Pakistan for its warm hospitality. He said the delegation had witnessed Pakistan’s dynamic innovation ecosystem, talented youth, industrial capabilities and growing investment potential.
Li Ang reaffirmed China’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Pakistan in science, technology, industrial innovation, advanced manufacturing, entrepreneurship and research, expressing confidence that partnerships forged during the summit would further strengthen the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Senior Honorary Advisor OIC-COMSTECH Dr. Shahid Mahmud underscored the importance of creating a sustainable innovation ecosystem that brings together researchers, entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers across the Global South. He also appreciated the visiting Chinese delegation for promoting Pakistan’s positive image through their engagements and outreach during the visit, expressing confidence that the summit would evolve into a long-term platform for innovation and investment cooperation.
Participants held extensive discussions on technology commercialization, startup financing, artificial intelligence, clean technologies, industrial innovation, research collaboration and investment facilitation. The summit also enabled Pakistani entrepreneurs, chambers of commerce, investors and Chinese business representatives to establish commercial linkages and explore future joint ventures.
The organizers described the Global South Innovation & Investment Summit 2026 as another significant milestone in COMSTECH’s efforts to advance science diplomacy, foster innovation-led sustainable development and strengthen scientific, technological and economic cooperation among OIC member states and Global South partners through strategic international collaboration.
