ISLAMABAD: Director General, Ambassador Sohail Mahmood and Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, Institute for Strategic Studies (ISSI), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in a virtual ceremony today. This marks the beginning of a new chapter by being the first MoU to be signed between Pakistani and Singaporean think tanks.
Apart from Ambassador Sohail Mahmood and Dr. Iqbal Sevea, the signing ceremony was also attended by the High Commissioner of Pakistan in Singapore, Mrs. Rohsana Afzaal; Mr. Muhammad Junaid, Director, East Asia and Pacific Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan; Dr. Talat Shabbir, Director, ISSI China Pakistan Study Center; Group of Indian Institute of Studies, ISSI; and colleagues at ISAS.
Speaking on the occasion, ISSI Ambassador Sohail Mahmood hailed the Union as an important step towards building formal relations between the two institutions. The High Commissioner thanked Ruhsana Afzaal for her valuable support throughout the process. DG ISSI demonstrates the broad reach of the Union, with an agreed research agenda, exchange and dialogue on regional, global and strategic issues of common interest. He also said that Pakistan’s relationship with Singapore is very important in the bilateral and ASEAN context. He said the signing of the agreement was an important step to strengthen smooth communication and people-to-people relations between the two parties.
High Commissioner Ruhsana Afzaal expressed gratitude for the completion of the Union. He cited ISAS as a prominent think tank in Singapore and instrumental in connecting Pakistan with Singaporean researchers and academics. Highlighting the High Commission’s efforts to develop relations between the research communities of the two countries, he noted the seven joint webinars previously organized in collaboration with ISAS. The purpose of these efforts, he said, is to create opportunities to better understand each other’s perspectives.
Dr. Iqbal Singh Sevea said that the Alliance between ISAS and ISSI marks an important step for mutual cooperation. He emphasized the interdisciplinary nature of research at ISAS to better understand the complexities in South Asian security dynamics. In this regard, he highlighted Pakistan as an important country, especially in its role in the Indian Ocean and Central Asia.
At the end of his speech, Ambassador Sohail Mahmoud congratulated ISAS on its 20th anniversary. Both parties agreed to consult closely to decide on the next step of this new partnership.
