The Doha Declaration calls for "positive efforts designed to ensure that developing countries, and especially the least-developed among them, secure a share in the growth of world trade commensurate with the needs of their economic development". Technology development is a critical determinant of the ability of developing-country enterprises to compete in global markets.
However, several studies show that only a handful of developing countries, mostly located in South-East Asia, have managed to narrow the "technology gap" vis-à-vis developed economies. By contrast, in sub-Saharan Africa the technological structure of industrial production and exports is actually regressing. The Competitive Industrial Performance Index shows that the four highest-achieving developing countries are in South-East Asia, while nine of the 10 lowest-achieving countries are in sub-Saharan Africa. [UNIDO (2002). Industrial Development Report 2002/2003]
The Expert Meeting will examine the policies of developing countries that have managed to move up the "technology ladder", as well as countries that have been less successful in improving their technology ranking and the overall competitiveness of their enterprises. The aim of the meeting is to find ways for developing countries to narrow the technology gap vis-à-vis developed countries by identifying successful policies and the conditions under which these would be adaptable to other countries. The meeting will also consider the role of international commitments, such as World Trade Organization rules, in facilitating or hampering developing countries´ pursuit of policies for technology development.
The meeting will bring together high-level experts from the public and private sectors, as well as from academia and international organizations. The outcome of the meeting will be useful to the UNCTAD XI subtheme "Building productive capacity and international competitiveness".
