UNRC Message of Support for DOST's Development Partners Forum 2023

Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology, Honorable Renato U. Solidum, Jr. 

Senior representatives from the government of the Philippines

Representatives from the diplomatic and international community.

Representatives from academe, research and development institutions, civil society, private sector. 

Good morning everyone,

Firstly, our congratulations to the Department of Science and Technology for this very timely Forum calling for an enhanced partnership between the science, technology and innovation community and the development community for a Smart and Sustainable Philippines. 

The Forum is very timely for at least two major reasons: the first one -and perhaps the most obvious reason- is that remaining on the SDGs track requires significant investments in science, technology and innovation, as it was reflected in the last mid-term review of the 2030 Agenda. 

The second reason relates to the strong aspiration of the Philippines to become an upper Middle Income Country, for which the consolidation of the STI infrastructure and the modernization and harmonization of STI’s policies and regulations are critical enablers for such graduation. 

There is a general recognition that the scale and nature of global challenges and the significant potential of STI to deliver effective responses make STI global cooperation an imperative. 

The most recent report of the UN Secretary-General to the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) pointed to both potential benefits as well as risks linked to the acceleration of technological change. 

We know that rapid technological change can contribute to the faster achievement of the 2030 Agenda by improving income gained through increased productivity and reduced cost of goods and services; replacing environmentally costly modes of production with more sustainable ones. 

But on the other hand, there are many areas of risk and uncertainty related to longer-term impacts of technological transformation. They create pressure on many jobs, particularly those requiring lower-skilled workers, but may soon substitute more sophisticated jobs due to advances in AI.  New technologies tend to disrupt established business models and also challenge public sector policies.

That’s the reason why STI vision, policies, regulations and investments are expected to evolve in a complex interagency and multisector environment where preserving a people-centered understanding of development becomes an imperative.

Let me share three main lessons on STI multilateral cooperation perspective. 

Number one: Inclusiveness. Experience shows that the formulation of international STI agendas has been traditionally biased towards the perspective of developed countries. But the threat of pandemics and climate change has demonstrated that global challenges need also global and inclusive solutions. The development of significant STI capabilities on a global and inclusive scale is now a shared interest of the international community. 

International collaboration to support inclusive international innovation and research networks can help provide the critical mass that many countries are not able to build internally at the required speed. 

An example of a well-coordinated inclusive regional effort, with policies and mechanisms developed to support cooperation in STI is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation 2016–2025, which provides guidance to improve the monitoring and evaluating mechanisms of activities and resource mobilization. Another example is the CGIAR (formerly the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research), which works with over 3,000 partners in nearly 90 countries, which offers a reference for the co-identification and co-creation of solutions related to global food security with the global South, where research is led by national partners, to address national priorities. 

Number Two: Digitalization. Science, technology and innovation are evolving in predominantly digitalized working environment. The fast growing value of digital data as an economic resource, makes international cooperation in data governance, and cross-border data flows in particular, crucial. This not only requires international standards and regulations, but also political capacity to integrate and coordinate a wide range of partners, investors and promoters working on digital technologies -many of them in fierce competition. 

The work of UN- ITU and the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development contributes to both supporting seamless global connectivity and promoting inclusivity in the digital realm, by fostering public–private initiatives and targeting areas lacking digital infrastructure and improved connectivity for marginalized groups. Within the new UN Cooperation Framework, a number of UN entities have made of digitalization a central pillar of their technical assistance and many of such initiatives are financially supported by developments partners present today at this Forum. 

Number three: Financing STI. We know that the spirit of international STI collaboration goes beyond funding issues, but we should admit that collaboration is not possible between partners separated by significant capability gaps. Financial support from the international community, including through official development assistance, is critical to strengthening STI capacities. 

Let me share some figures: the research and development investment gap for low-income and middle-income countries is wide not only in absolute terms but also when compared with gross domestic product (GDP), at 0.53 per cent, compared with the global average of 2.63 per cent. 

But there is an historic opportunity to revert such trend and transform international cooperation in the STI sector. 

The UN Secretary General has convened the Summit of the Future to re-invigorate multilateralism. The Summit will take place as part of the UN General Assembly this September, bringing head of states and world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better present and safeguard the future. 

The Summit has been framed as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance international cooperation on critical challenges and address gaps in global governance, reaffirm commitments to SDGs and the United Nations Charter, and move towards a reinvigorated multilateral system. 

An important outcome of the Summit is the “Pact for the Future” to be agreed by Member States. This Pact is presently under review by member states. We know that the Government is presently working on the document.

Chapter 3 of The Pact for the Future is specifically on “Science, technology and innovation and digital cooperation.” This chapter will also have its own annex on the Global Digital Compact, which is also under review. 

This process represents a historic opportunity for the Philippines, and particularly to the leading government institution in the STI sector -the Department of Science and Technology- to bring its vision and voice for inclusive international cooperation in STI. 

As a founding Member State of the UN, signatory to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and champion of multilateralism, the Philippines is well-placed to contribute to the Summit of the Future dialogue to forge a better path for future generations. 

The national STI Strategy we are discussing today and this emerging multiparter platform are setting the ground for a very promising cooperation between the STI community and development partners and also bringing substantive inputs to the new Pact of the Future. We count on the active participation of the Philippines to the Summit of the Future.  

I wish you a very productive debate! Maraming salamat.

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Gustavo Gonzalez, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator