UN Resident Coordinator of Tanzania Dr. Alberic Kacou giving out a speech during the Annually Ministerial Review, Regional Preparatory Meeting for Africa on “Innovation as Enabler for the Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development where he said technological advancements could be a critical way forward to face the new development challenges in the Post 2015 period.
He added that this would also mean that we need to have innovative approaches to technology transfer, sharing knowledge and making use of them for the welfare of majority of global citizens.( All Photos by Zainul Mzige of Dewji Blog)
Director General of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Dr. Francis Gurry giving out a statement during the opening of Regional Preparatory Meeting for Africa on “Innovation as Enabler for the Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development that any discussion on science, technology and innovation must consider the role played by intellectual property (IP) stressing that IP is an indispensable mechanism for translating knowledge into commercial assets, noting “IP rights create a secure environment for investment in innovation and provide a legal framework for trading intellectual assets.
Sixty-ninth President of the Economic and Social Council His Excellency Mr. Nestor Osorio during one of the sessions of the the Annually Ministerial Review, Regional Preparatory Meeting for Africa on “Innovation as Enabler for the Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development who said Innovation is the essence of our modern society. Without harnessing its power, we will not be able to create healthy, educated or inclusive societies.
United Nation Under- Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Mr. Wu Hongbo, One of the speakers who elaborate concepts in the Annually Ministerial Review, Regional Preparatory Meeting for Africa on “Innovation as Enabler for the Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development.
WIPO Member Staff.
Director General of the National Institute for Medical Research in Tanzania Dr. Mwele Malecela.
Some of Participants during the preparation of the Ministerial Review of the UN Economic and Social Council, which will take place in Geneva from 1 to 4 July 2013 held today in Dar es Salaam at the Hyatt Regency Kilimanjaro Hotel.
Tanzania Delegation including Acting CEO of Brella Ms. Leonilaa Kishebuka (centre) during the Meeting.
Resident Coordinator Office's UN Tanzania Communication Team during the meeting.
UN Resident Coordinator of Tanzania Dr. Alberic Kacou share a word with One of the Minister who attend the 2013 ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review.
UN Tanzania Communications Specialist Sangita Khadka (second left) and UN Communications Analyst Hoyce Temu exchanging views with United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Mr. Wu Hongbo (right).
Minister of Communications, Science and Technology Professor Makame. Mbarawa (left) with one of the Participant.
UN Resident Coordinator of Tanzania Dr. Alberic Kacou chatting with the Senior Advisor Office of the Director General of WIPO Ms. Loretta Asiedu
Brella and Ministry of Industry and Trade Secretariat Team which was assisting the International Delegation.
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A meeting bringing together over twenty African ministers, the President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the heads of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and WIPO, together with senior representatives of the private sector and civil society organizations has underlined the importance of science, technology and innovation to supporting development in Africa.
WIPO Director General Francis Gurry, UN Under Secretary General Wu Hongbo, and President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council H.E. Mr. Nestor Osorio (Colombia), together with senior policy makers and enterpreneurs, met in Dar Es Salaam on March 14, 2013 to discuss the role of innovation for development.
The meeting was held in preparation for the Annual Ministerial Review of the UN Economic and Social Council, which will take place in Geneva from 1 to 4 July 2013. They called on the United Nations and WIPO to support greater emphasis on science, technology and innovation as key to enabling sustainable development in Africa.
Speaking earlier this week at the opening of a WIPO conference on innovation and intellectual property, Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete said “Leveraging and protecting Intellectual Property (IP) such as patents, copyrights and other similar forms is a key factor of promoting socio-economic growth and development of nations.”
He added “It encourages innovation, invention and development of new technologies. It promotes both domestic and foreign investment, facilitates technology transfer and increases agricultural and industrial production. It is an imperative, therefore, that countries must put in place effective IP policies and related laws.”
“This meeting is a unique opportunity to define the key role that science, technology and innovation can play in achieving the development goals of the African continent,” Mr. Gurry said. “Any discussion on science, technology and innovation must consider the role played by intellectual property (IP).”
He stressed that IP is an indispensable mechanism for translating knowledge into commercial assets, noting “IP rights create a secure environment for investment in innovation and provide a legal framework for trading intellectual assets. An investment in knowledge creation, and the maintenance of a robust and balanced IP system, should feature prominently in any strategy to ensure sustainable economic growth.”
“With a fast approaching MDG deadline and transition to a post-2015 development era, innovation is a very timely topic. Innovation is needed to meet our common development goals; it is important in the final push for the MDGs and in unleashing the potential for sustainable development,” said United Nations Under-Secretary-General Wu Hongbo.
ECOSOC President Néstor Osorio also stressed that “Innovation is the essence of our modern society. Without harnessing its power, we will not be able to create healthy, educated or inclusive societies”.
The Ministerial meeting agreed on the following key priorities:
-Innovation can bring benefits across all three pillars of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental, and is key to accelerating achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
-Discussions at ECOSOC must lead to a Ministerial Declaration that calls for much greater emphasis on the contribution that science, technology and innovation can make to achieving sustainable development in relation to the post 2015 development framework and implementation of the Rio+20 outcomes.
- The global policy approach to technology and innovation must change to keep pace with changing models of innovation and the new geography of innovation. Innovation is increasingly open, global, networked and collaborative. The emergence of new innovation players in countries of the south creates new opportunites for Africa.
-Technology and innovation partnerships for development must be multi-stakeholder and recognize the critical role of the private sector and harness the resources it offers.
-Policymakers in Africa should redouble efforts to develop their legal and policy frameworks, including their intellectual property legislation and policy, so as to release the region’s untapped potential. Investments in education, research and development should be increased. Support in moving ideas to development and to market should be accelerated.
-African countries need support to build their innovation infrastructure and the capacity to create domestic technology solutions to local development challenges, as well as to support the transfer, adaptation and dissemination of technology. Commitments of support should emerge from the ECOSOC Annual Ministerial Review.
-ECOSOC should maximize its potential as a platform for multipe international efforts to support African countries on science, technolgy and innovation (STI) capacity building. It should identify mechanisms for greater coordination among providers of STI assistance.
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