Joint meeting of the Second Committee and ECOSOC: Role of science and technology in combating and recovering from COVID-19

Global economic interdependence has created increasingly complex and unpredictable threats, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Science, technology and innovation (STI) have a critical role to play in a understanding and dealing with these threats. Science is central to a systems approach to policy making, and new technologies can empower us to absorb and adapt to shocks. Innovation is also critical– not least in how we change behavior such as the quick move to remote forms of working seen this past year.

But can the behavioral changes enabled by STI during the pandemic overcome the wider gaps that have accompanied it? The COVID-19 pandemic for example has clearly sped deployment of the digital revolution around the world and the onset of the 4th Industrial revolution, with potentially great consequences for developing countries. At UNCTAD we’ve seen a big push for digitalization in developing countries in the demand for our programmes on digital economy and e-commerce, and digital customs systems.

Is the enabling environment suitably in place to see a faster move to digitalization in developing countries, perhaps narrowing a bit the technological gap between countries, post-COVID-19? Sadly, while the momentum may be moving in the right direction in policy circles, for the hundreds of millions of people falling back into poverty due to the pandemic, the prospects of telework and living more digital lives remains remote and infeasible, with lockdowns and weak demand driving the greatest recession the least developed countries have ever seen.

We need to give more direction to technological change, setting up the required institutions and creating the necessary incentives for the emergence of innovations. In particular, we must support the use, adoption, adaptation and development of new technologies in developing countries. Developing countries, particularly low-income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and other regions cannot afford to miss this new wave of rapid technological change. A balanced approach building a robust industrial base and promoting frontier technologies is critical for success in the twenty-first century.

STI spending should constitute a key component of recovery packages which not only lifts up the economy but also enables progress in combatting pandemic. Even after the pandemic, countries need to strengthen the budgetary commitments to support STI activities. Here, it is critical to set spending targets and establish and communicate the spending trajectory towards them. This way, governments can not only treat STI spending as “protected funding lines” but also ensure and signal the continuity and predictability of government support to relevant stakeholders.

Developing countries’ spending in science, technology and innovation remains much lower than the level of developed countries and their innovation systems are much weaker and fragile. Hence, international cooperation in funding, designing and delivering solutions, and in ensuring that scientists and innovators from developing countries can participate in global R&D networks is essential.

The need for an inclusive conversation about technological change and its impact on people and societies, including the ethical dimension, is stronger than ever. Addressing global challenges like COVID-19 in vastly different local contexts requires the combination of cutting-edge scientific capabilities with detailed local knowledge. We, at UNCTAD, are committed to make a meaningful contribution to those efforts, including through the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), which is an ECOSOC subsidiary serviced by UNCTAD as its secretariat. CSTD also provided a space for sharing information, experiences and initiatives to use STI to address the COVID-19 challenges and post-pandemic recovery.  The next session of the CSTD to be held on May 17-19 in 2021 will have as a priority theme how to use STI to close gaps on SDG 3 on health. I invite all member States and relevant stakeholders to join the discussion and propose innovative ways to collaborate and progress.