ICPE DG Dr Šalej and Dr Arun P Kulshreshtha, Director of the Centre for Science and Technology of the Non-Aligned and Other Developing Countries have signed an MoU outlining the scope for future cooperation. In addition to joint programmes and research, joint applications for funding etc., NAM S&T may sponsor travel costs for participants at ICPE or joint events.

Objectives and functions of NAM S&T:

· Promote various actions called for by the Action Programme for Economic Cooperation and by the Common Strategy for Cooperation in the fields of Science and Technology in order to strengthen cooperation among non-aligned and other developing countries;

· Promote the fullest possible and mutually beneficial collaboration among scientists and technologists and scientific organizations from non-aligned and other developing countries;

· Act as a clearing house of information regarding technological capabilities of individual non-aligned and other developing countries with a view to promoting scientific and technological co-operation and transfer of technology among them, and provide early information about impending technological changes and seek to develop a data bank;

· Stimulate and promote joint R&D projects and training programmes on bilateral or multilateral basis among the members of the Centre in selected fields of special relevance;

· Preparation of state-of-the-art reports in selected fields and problems and render expert advice to the members in the choice of technology, and scientific and technological growth, including human resources development;

· Maintain a registry of scientific and technological experts of high caliber whose services could be utilized by the members of the Centre; and

· Help in the establishment of links between national and regional centres for development and transfer of technology.