As countries enter the final phase of implementing the 2030 Agenda, science, technology and innovation (STI)—combined with big data and AI—are essential for evidence-informed policymaking and accelerated action. National STI Roadmaps offer a practical framework to align scientific capabilities, innovation, data systems and investments with development priorities. Yet many developing countries, particularly Small Island Developing States (SIDS), continue to face gaps in data availability, analytical capacity and institutional coordination.
This meeting examines how big data, AI and geospatial intelligence can strengthen each stage of the STI Roadmap cycle—from diagnosis and target-setting to implementation and monitoring. Through the policy-relevant lens of the blue economy—including sustainable fisheries, coastal resilience and maritime logistics—the meeting will explore how digital tools can translate evidence into actionable policy, investment and measurable development outcomes. It will also consider how AI can support the monitoring and evaluation framework of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS).
The central question is not whether the technology works, but whether it works in a policy conversation. This requires systems that are usable, multi-scale and trustworthy—so that evidence reaches decision-makers and activates action. The meeting will showcase practical approaches to integrating data, institutions and technical capabilities into operational national STI Roadmap systems that deliver real impact for people and planet.
