7 September 2022

His Excellency Pascale Baeriswyl, Permanent Representative of Switzerland

His Excellency Burhan Gafoor, Permanent Representative of Singapore

Dr. Christoph Benn, I-DAIR Board Chair

Distinguished colleagues and friends,

Thank you for inviting me to speak today. I would like to commend I-DAIR, the Permanent Missions of Singapore and Switzerland for organizing today’s side event.

Science, technology and innovation have remained the principal drivers of development throughout history and around the world. From when the first steam engine connected borders, to more recent lifesaving vaccines, the possibilities of science and technology are endless.

While it is true that science has drastically transformed our lives, it is also true that a growing divide and disparity is rampantly widening within and between societies as a result. Too often it is the small and least developed countries that bear the brunt of such inequalities.

Never was this more apparent than during the pandemic. In times of lockdown measures and travel restrictions, emerging internet technologies allowed those who had means, with lifechanging medical assistance, connection, and access to information.

Sadly, many in the world’s poorest countries wereunable to derive the benefits of these life-changing technologies. And it is not only because of missing broadband signals. Rather, many communities lack of awareness of what the Internet is and of its benefits and are not trained in the digital skills necessary to thrive in today’s world. This remains one of the greatest challenges for the global south.

My friends,

This is a moral failure. Lifesaving technologies must be accessible and equitable for all.

Digital technology and by extension, digital health is a lifesaving innovation. But until we make it accessible and affordable to the average citizens and most importantly to countries in special situations – the LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS – many of the world’s poorest will lose out, at the expense of their health.

We must share the gains of science. Once again, the pandemic was a clear reminder.

The development of lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines in record-time was a scientific feat. Yet discrepancies in vaccine distribution needlessly prolonged the pandemic, and many of the world’s most vulnerable suffered dire consequences.  

Universal vaccination remains in the interest of every country.

Failing in this important task will risk new variants emerging, that could evade vaccines and undo all the hard work that has been done to date. And it will lead to more deaths, overwhelmed health systems and further economic damage.

That is precisely why in February I convened a high-level event on galvanizing momentum for universal vaccination. My aim was to have a constructive dialogue on addressing the bottlenecks preventing universal vaccination, while generating concrete solutions.

Excellencies, dear friends,

Bridging digital divides requires universal collaboration.

I commend this I-DAIR and public-private-partnershipcoalition which aims to foster inclusive, impactful, and responsible research into digital health and artificial intelligence for health, with a focus on the Global South.

We need to continuously raise awareness of digital development and their benefits for the global south. I am of the belief that we can achieve this through inclusive and equitable education. We need to cement effective partnership to develop connectivity in rural communities and allow for digital hardware and services to become more affordable.

Indeed, science and technology have the potential to create jobs and livelihoods; tackle rampant inequalitiesand empower women and girls. These powerful tools will let us transform our world for the better in a just and equitable manner.

I am truly encouraged by the extensive network present in this room.

Working together, scientists, innovators, entrepreneurs, high–level policymakers and representatives from CSOs and IGOs – we can secure a brighter future for us all.

Let us embrace the boundless possibilities. And let usshape a better tomorrow for our children.

I thank you