Malaysia hosted the 3rd High Council Meeting of D-8 Technology Transfer and Exchange Network (TTEN) from 01 to 02 December 2015 in Kuala Lumpur. Participants from the D-8 Member States of Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Malaysia  and Turkey attended the program. The D-8 Secretariat and the D-8 TTEN Secretariat also attended. 

Dato’ Sri Dr. Noorul Ainur Mohd. Nur, Secretary-General, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation of Malaysia graced the opening session of the event and formally inaugurated the event. Dr. Seyed AliMohammad Mousavi, D-8 Secretary-General, addressed in the opening ceremony. 

Dr. Mousavi underscored that visible activities must be put in place to accelerate achievement of TTEN objectives. He encouraged more interaction and activities on the part of D-8 TTEN and the Focal Points in the D-8 Member States in strengthening this platform into a truly attractive forum for fruitful exchanges. He called all the parties to lend their efforts in making this a forerunner and flagship platform of the D-8 Organization. He hoped this meeting would review progress so far made and accordingly adopt policies and programmes that integrate the elements of capacity building, information and knowledge into comprehensive approaches for TTEN cooperation. 

This meeting is the sequel of the first and second meeting of the D-8 TTEN, which were successfully held in October 2013 in Tehran and in December 2014 in Abuja, respectively. In the first meeting, the delegates put their effort to lay a tangible foundation for D-8 TTEN cooperation, including the inauguration of D-8 TTEN Secretariat based in Pardis Technology Park in Tehran as well as the D-8 TTEN website. The 2nd meeting reviewed progress in decisions taken earlier, made strategic assessment, analysis and reviewed the state of D-8 TTEN cooperation, with particular emphasis on the identification of technology requests and technology offers from the D-8 Member States in order to inter-connect or develop database for technology products, technology services, technology demands, and commercialized technology of the D-8 Member States in an integrated internet-based system. 

The meeting underscored the primary need to operationalize the TTEN website in order to implement the virtual interface among the public and private entities both within and outside the D-8 member States. 

 

The 2-day program included discussion, among others, on steps for sharing of experiences and practices, Challenges and Discussions of Scientific and Technological Capabilities of D-8 Member Countries, devising efficacious and action-oriented strategies, institutional visits etc. Delegates visited Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM), Technology Park Malaysia and MIMOS in the Technology Park as part of the program.  

This timely initiative of the Government of Malaysia, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in particular, would help the D-8 attain its development objectives by strengthening joint efforts.