Event: Science, technology and innovation in the least developed countries: stocktaking, challenges and the way forward
Wednesday, 14 September 2022; 13:00-14:30 GMT+3 time zone
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us how far the world has come in technological and scientific knowledge accumulation as demonstrated by the speed in which vaccines were developed and the role played by technologies in sustaining economic and social interactions. In this respect, the Covid-19 shock was a wake-up call for the least developed countries (LDCs) and other low-income countries and an important lesson that they cannot afford to lag behind in their technological capabilities or miss active engagement in the new wave of rapid technological change. At this time of current heightened uncertainty and multidimensional global crisis, LDCs need special international support measures more than ever. The right mix of policies and financial support to help them develop their science, technology and innovation capacities must be at the core of renewed international support measures for LDCs.
The Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries (DPoA) has been adopted at a critical time, falling within the last decade of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Least developed countries face pressing challenges and science, technology, and innovation (STI) can be powerful drivers of change. Long-term productivity upgrading, economic development and job creation, as well as addressing societal challenges, are all dependent on sustainable and strong STI systems. Whilst their ability to harness the potential of STI is affected by structural disadvantages, least developed countries are also uniquely placed to gain from ‘latecomer advantage’ to leapfrog and directly adopt the latest and most effective STI solutions. The DPoA has identified “leveraging the power of science, technology, and innovation to fight against multidimensional vulnerabilities and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals” as one of the six key focus areas. The Technology Bank’s overarching objective is to assist least developed countries in building their science, technology, and innovation capacity to foster the structural transformation of their economies, eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development.
The event will provide an opportunity to take stock of the current state of science, technology and innovation in the least developed countries and discuss challenges and opportunities for technological upgrading to meet development ambitions.