ISLAMABAD, Aug 09 (APP): In a significant stride for science diplomacy, Pakistan and Romania are gearing up to deepen collaboration in cutting-edge fields, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, renewable energy, and green innovation.

The move comes as Federal Minister for Science and Technology Khalid Hussain Magsi met with Romanian Ambassador to Pakistan, Dan Stoenescu, to chart a robust agenda for bilateral cooperation spanning science, technology, education, and innovation.

During the meeting, Ambassador Stoenescu reaffirmed Romania’s readiness to connect Pakistan with major European Union-funded programmes such as Horizon Europe (€95.5 billion research and innovation programme), Erasmus+ for academic exchange, and the Digital Europe Programme.

These platforms would open doors for Pakistani institutions to engage in joint research, high-tech projects, and educational initiatives at the global level.

Khalid Magsi was briefed on Romania’s rapidly expanding tech ecosystem, contributing over 6% to its GDP, powered by more than 200,000 skilled IT professionals and hosting global giants like Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, and Oracle. Romania is also home to billion-dollar “unicorn” companies such as UiPath, Bitdefender, Elrond, and FintechOS, backed by thriving innovation hubs in cities like Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara, Iasi, Brasov, and Bucharest, he added.

Commending Romania’s transformation into a knowledge-based economy, Khalid Magsi expressed Pakistan’s keen interest in learning from its success story.

Both sides discussed joint ventures for software exports to EU and Gulf markets, capacity building in cybersecurity, academic exchanges, and research collaborations in AI, IoT, blockchain, and e-government solutions.

To institutionalise cooperation, Ambassador Stoenescu proposed a Memorandum of Understanding between Pakistan’s Ministry of Science and Technology and Romania’s National Authority for Digitalization and National Authority for Research.

He also suggested organising a Romania–Pakistan Science and Technology Forum, with a special focus on IT sector linkages.

“Romania stands ready for practical, results-oriented cooperation that supports Pakistan’s national priorities while strengthening our bilateral partnership,” said the ambassador, inviting Khalid Magsi to visit Romania’s leading research institutes, universities, and technology parks.