Technology and Innovation Report 2021 Catching technological waves: Innovation with equity - Perspectives of Latin America and the Caribbean

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION REPORT 2021

Catching technological waves: Innovation with equity

Perspectives of Latin America and the Caribbean

• What is the impact of frontier technologies on inequalities?
• What are the challenges and and prospects for the Latin America and the Caribbean region?
• How can governments minimize risks and maximize opportunities?

The answer to these questions is critical for the achievement of the SDGs.

We live in a time of growing prosperity alongside growing inequalities. People on average are living longer and healthier lives, getting more years of education and having better access to clean water, sanitation and electricity. A global middle class has emerged, fueled by rapid growth in emerging economies. At the same time, extreme poverty is stubbornly persistent in some pockets in developing countries and within country inequalities have increased in many countries. Crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic lays bare these and other gaps.

Against this backdrop, technology is ambiguously seen both as a friend and a foe. Innovation drives prosperity, and frontier technologies (e.g. AI, robotics, biotechnology, and nanotechnology) could be transformative in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But rapid advances can have serious downsides if they outpace the ability of societies to adapt. There are fears, for example, that jobs are disappearing as more economic activity is automated, and that social media are exacerbating divisions, anxiety and doubt.

The implications could be serious for developing countries – if poor communities and countries are either overwhelmed or simply left behind. The great divides between countries that we see today started with the onset of the first industrial revolution. Since then, every spurt of progress was associated with sharper inequality between countries.

Objective

The event briefly presented UNCTAD's Technology and Innovation Report 2021 followed by a roundtable discussion by experts and policymakers from Latin America and the Caribbean, who reflected on how the findings and recommendations of the Report could be considered in the perspective of the reality of the region. The discussion centered around ways of moving forward with the policy options for countries of the region to strategically position themselves to take advantage of new waves of technological change for inclusive and sustainable development. The event raised awareness of policy options for LAC countries to harness these frontier technologies and leave no one behind.

Programme

Opening remarks

• Angel Gonzalez Sanz, Head, Science, Technology and ICT Branch, DTL, UNCTAD

Presentation of the TIR 2021

• Clovis Freire, Economist, Division on Technology and Logistics, UNCTAD, Team Leader of the Technology and Innovation Report 2021

Panel

• Gabriela Dutrénit, Department of Economics and Postgraduate Program in Economics and Management of Innovation, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco and General Coordinator, Scientific and Technological Advisory Forum, Mexico
• Jose Eduardo Cassiolato, Economics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Carlos Álvarez Voullième , Director Ejecutivo en Universidad de Chile 
• Florencia Barletta, Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento, Argentina
• Guillermo Anlló, Regional Programme Specialist. Science, Technology and Innovation Policies, UNESCO 

Moderated discussion and Q&A

Conclusion by the moderator

Moderator: 

• Sebastian Rovira, Economist, ECLAC

Watch event recording

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