National Academies of Science will be strengthened to support uptake of Science, technology and innovation in west Africa.
The UN Technology Bank is a new global organisation, dedicated to enhancing the contribution of science, technology and innovation for sustainable development in the world’s 47 least developed countries noted in Conakry that academies need support so that it plays a vital role in ensuring sustainable development in Western Africa.
“National Academies of Science ensure that governments receive authoritative guidance on how science and technology can benefit a nation’s economy and society through devising policy, promoting partnership and encouraging interaction,” said Mr. Joshua Setipa, Managing Director of the United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries.
Setipa noted that it has been important for the UN to bring partners together in Conakry to listen to the experience of a range of stakeholders and to plan a way forward so that the world’s least developed countries can gain from the support of these institutions.
The UN Technology Bank supports national and regional technological efforts in least developed countries, reinforcing partnerships across sectors and helping nations identify and use appropriate technologies to transform their economies and improve livelihoods.
Least developed countries are low-income countries confronting severe structural impediments to sustainable development. They are highly vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks and have low levels of human assets.