Leveraging new technologies' impact through technology assessments

The Investment, Enterprise and Development Commission

1. Reaffirms the key role of research and development, technology and innovation and skills development, and related international cooperation as key drivers of structural transformation that contribute to a competitive, sustainable, inclusive and resilient economy;
    
2. Recognizes that developing countries require support to design and implement appropriate and effective policies that foster innovation, harness data and enable these countries to effectively participate in the digital economy, reap the developmental benefits of digitalization and mitigate risks;
    
3. Stresses the importance of building national capacities to facilitate the development, dissemination, adoption and use of frontier technologies, including those associated with the digital economy, and innovative solutions for achieving global and national development goals;
    
4. Stresses the need to facilitate women’s access to science and technology and participation in processes leading to the definition of science, technology and innovation agendas, policy decisions and priority setting, including through the implementation of inclusive technology assessment exercises;
    
5. Expresses satisfaction with UNCTAD research and technical cooperation work supporting developing countries in their understanding of policy options to steer innovation in ways that are inclusive and aim at leaving no one behind, and looks forward to continued work in this area;
    
6. Requests the secretariat to continue to provide analysis on the implications of frontier technologies, including digital technologies and data, which can bring significant opportunities to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, along with challenges on labour markets, social divides and ethical questions;
    
7. Encourages knowledge sharing and the promotion of cooperation and partnership in the areas of science, technology and innovation between stakeholders, notably between Governments, the private sector and civil society, including academia, to facilitate technology development to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals;
    
8. Commends UNCTAD for its support and guidance to developing countries in designing effective national policies for science, technology and innovation;
    
9. Invites the secretariat to explore ways to mobilize additional resources to further its work on science, technology and innovation policies and the digital economy;
    
10. Invites UNCTAD to continue its role in supporting developing countries to harness digitalization and science, technology and innovation for development and be part of the international debate on frontier technologies, which are expected to increasingly impact their development trajectories.