Harnessing science, technology and innovation to support structural transformation and LDC graduation

mbuldys — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 17:51:00 +0000

Wednesday, 01 September 2021 - 1:30pm to 2:30pm

Registration

Background

The Istanbul Programme of Action (IPoA) had set a target of at least half of the Least Developed Countries should qualify for graduation. Since LDC-IV, only three LDCs have graduated, (Equatorial Guinea, Samoa and Vanuatu), while seven other LDCs (Angola, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Nepal, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Islands) have met the criteria to graduate until 2026. LDCs face a significant number of challenges that concern their economic structure. Structural transformation is a central part of the economic development and enhancement of LDCs’ productive capacity and Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policies play a crucial role in promoting inclusive development and the achievement of the SDGs.

Objectives

STI play a crucial role in promoting inclusive development and the achievement of the SDGs. Advances in STI policies offer exponential opportunities in accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Building back better to respond to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and future pandemics will require LDCs to structurally transform their economies, build productive capacities, and develop STI policies that promote investment in STI and bridge the digital divide among countries.

The side-event will address critical issues for LDCs to structurally transform and pursue graduation through science, technology and innovation. The ministerial round table will focus on STI policy formulation, the discussants will address specific implementation approaches to be followed by an interactive discussion.

Structure

This special session be organized as a High-level Roundtable where senior officials will present efforts to harness science, technology and innovation to build productive capacities and support inclusive and sustainable development. The objective of this High-Level Roundtable is to bring together global leaders from Bangladesh and Cambodia and the UN to highlight challenges, and identify concrete suggestions on how governments, the private sector and multilateral organisations can enable the LDCs to harness science, technology and innovation to achieve structural transformation and graduate.

Speakers

Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary, ESCAP
Ms. Isabelle Durant, Acting Secretary-General, UNCTAD
H.E. Prof. Dr. Chhem Kieth Rethy, Minister Delegate attached to Prime Minister and Secretary of State of Ministery of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, Cambodia
H.E Dr. Biswo Nath Poudel, Vice-Chairman, National Planning Commission of Nepal
Ms. Tina Jabeen, Managing Director and CEO, Startup Bangladesh Limited
Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal, President of TUBITAK

Moderator: Mr. Joshua Setipa, Managing Director, UN Technology Bank

Outcomes

The High-Level Roundtable will provide an opportunity to gain political momentum from leaders on science, technology and innovation towards sustainable development and graduation of LDCs.
This event will provide a platform to showcase best practices and identify the key priorities, principles and approaches for LDCs to structurally transform their economies, build productive capacities, and develop STI policies that promote investment in STI towards graduation.
It will highlight the role that the private sector and the UN can have in building productive capacities and harnessing science, technology and innovation.

tags:

Asia-Pacific

LDC5

Graduation

STI

IPoA

Structural Transformation

Categories:

Events

Technology as a Driver of Structural Transformation in the LDCs

mbuldys — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 12:15:00 +0000

Wednesday, 28 July 2021 - 8:15am to 9:45am

Registration

Please join us via Zoom at: https://bit.ly/3i2391D

Background

The COVID‑19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of agility and of harnessing the power of technology. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data and drones can help enterprises in the least developed countries (LDCs) to enhance their productivity and competitiveness, and to move up the value chain ladder in agriculture, industry and the services sector. In the coming decade, we need to ensure that technology is harvested appropriately as a driver of structural transformation in the LDCs.

Similarly, digital trade – in both goods and services - enhances the opportunity for small‑ and medium‑sized enterprises to participate in global trade, and FinTech can help enhance their financial inclusion. By supporting traceability and trade facilitation, blockchain technology can help to enhance the transparency and trustworthiness of trade transactions at speed. Technology in agriculture can revolutionize systems and help in adjusting to the impacts of climate change.

Join us to engage with experts and practitioners from global support initiatives and LDCs who will explore modes through which the LDCs can achieve structural transformation by harnessing the power of technology and trade, and also outline how the LDCs can best access capacity‑building initiatives in technology for trade.

Objectives

The session will be based around a panel discussion, together with questions, answers and discussions with participants. The session will:

Highlight the progress made to date in technology and structural transformation in the implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action
Support the LDCs to leverage the power of trade, technology and structural transformation in preparing for the Fifth United Nations Conference on the LDCs
Share experiences on specific areas such as financial inclusion and digital agriculture in the LDCs for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
Identify areas for further support, collaboration and action in favour of the LDCs in the fields of trade, technology and structural transformation
Better link the LDCs and development partners through dedicated and LDC‑focused initiatives

Speakers

Mr Joshua Setipa, Managing Director, UN Technology Bank
Dr Bernardo Calzadilla-Sarmiento, Managing Director, Directorate of Digitalization, Technology and Agri-Business; and Director, Department of Digitalization, Technology and Innovation, UNIDO
Dr Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director, Centre for Policy Dialogue, Bangladesh
Ms Dorothy Tuma, Former Chair of the East Africa Women in Business platform
Dr Maxwell Otim Onapa, Director, Science, Research and Innovation, Government of Uganda

The session will be moderated by Dr Ratnakar Adhikari, Executive Director, Executive Secretariat for the Enhanced Integrated Framework at the WTO.