Group of 77 and China
INTERVENTION BY H.E. MR. VIRACHAI PLASAI, AMBASSADOR AND
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE KINGDOM OF THAILAND
TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND
CHINA, AT THE FIRST ANNUAL MULTI-STAKEHOLDER FORUM ON
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION FOR THE SDGS (STI
FORUM) (New York, 6 June 2016)
Mr. Co-Chair,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
1. First of all, the Group of 77 and China wish to express highest appreciation to the
President of ECOSOC as well as the two Co-chairs for convening this forum which is the
first annual STI Forum for SDGs after the adoption of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA). It is eviden that the forum has
succeeded in gathering governments, private sector, scientific community and other
stakeholders to jointly explore how to harness science, technology and innovation for
implementing SDGs.
2. The Group have always been a key supporter to an initiative of the Technology
Facilitation Mechanism (TFM) which includes a UN inter-agency task team on STI for SDGs,
an online platform and STI Forum, even before it was agreed and mandated by AAAA and
2030 Agenda. For developing countries like our Group, the ability to sustain healthy levels of
economic growth has been affected by the lack of adequate technology infrastructure.
Unless there are concrete mechanisms for the transfer of technology which proves one of
the most transformative means to implement sustainable development, we could never
achieve tangible outcomes of AAAA and 2030 Agenda. It is also very important to
encourage both developed and developing countries to make joint efforts in STI cooperation
and exchange for SDGs. The Group urge technical assistance from developed countries
such as training courses in terms of capacity building.
3. The Group also wish to thank the speakers who have shared views and experiences on
how STI could contribute directly to the development in key sectors such as education,
health, energy and food. In addition, the Group of 77 and China wish to highlight the fact that
STI, especially under TFM, encompass the breadth and depth of the 17 sustainable
development goals, as technologies are crucial for the implementation of each and every
SDG. For instance, STI provide tremendous potential for eradication of poverty and
promotion of socio-economic development while also have a prominent role in promoting
inclusive growth and development as well as serve as critical enablers of economic
development and investment, with consequential benefits for employment and social
welfare. STI are therefore vital to developing countries' full participation in the global
economic and social community.
4. However, despite the remarkable contributions of technology to development and positive
trends in its connectivity and affordability, including increased internet access, rapid diffusion
of mobile communication and development of new services and applications, the Group are
still concerned about the continued widening gap in digital divide including gender divide and
First Annual Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SD... Page 1 of 2
http://www.g77.org/statement/getstatement.php?id=160606 09/06/2016
access to technology between developed and developing countries. These gaps have
prevented developing countries and the poor from full benefit of technology.
5. In this regard, the Group of 77 and China would like to reemphasise the importance of this
forum in providing opportunities for developing countries to bridge these gaps. This forum
should channel effective and sustainable technical assistance and capacity-building which is
tailored to the specific needs and constraints of developing countries, into addressing the
technology infrastructure as well as capacity constraints of developing countries, particularly
in LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS. It is also indispensable to strengthen educational institutions and
research and development organizations in developing countries. Last but not least, we
wholeheartedly encourage the development, dissemination and diffusion and transfer of
environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including
on concessional and preferential terms, for their implementation of the SDGs.
6. In conclusion, the Group of 77 and China fervently hope for a success of this year's forum.
Possible rooms for improvement for future forums include an enhanced participation of
developing countries by increasing financial support to their relevant authorities from
capitals. We believe that an inclusive STI forum will result in an effective interaction,
matchmaking and establishment of networks among relevant stakeholders as well as in
identifying and determining technology needs and gaps, and also facilitating transfer and
dissemination of relevant technologies in response to the actual needs of developing
countries.
I thank you.
First Annual Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SD... Page 2 of 2
http://www.g77.org/statement/getstatement.php?id=160606 09/06/2016
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE KINGDOM OF THAILAND
TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND
CHINA, AT THE FIRST ANNUAL MULTI-STAKEHOLDER FORUM ON
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION FOR THE SDGS (STI
FORUM) (New York, 6 June 2016)
Mr. Co-Chair,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
1. First of all, the Group of 77 and China wish to express highest appreciation to the
President of ECOSOC as well as the two Co-chairs for convening this forum which is the
first annual STI Forum for SDGs after the adoption of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA). It is eviden that the forum has
succeeded in gathering governments, private sector, scientific community and other
stakeholders to jointly explore how to harness science, technology and innovation for
implementing SDGs.
2. The Group have always been a key supporter to an initiative of the Technology
Facilitation Mechanism (TFM) which includes a UN inter-agency task team on STI for SDGs,
an online platform and STI Forum, even before it was agreed and mandated by AAAA and
2030 Agenda. For developing countries like our Group, the ability to sustain healthy levels of
economic growth has been affected by the lack of adequate technology infrastructure.
Unless there are concrete mechanisms for the transfer of technology which proves one of
the most transformative means to implement sustainable development, we could never
achieve tangible outcomes of AAAA and 2030 Agenda. It is also very important to
encourage both developed and developing countries to make joint efforts in STI cooperation
and exchange for SDGs. The Group urge technical assistance from developed countries
such as training courses in terms of capacity building.
3. The Group also wish to thank the speakers who have shared views and experiences on
how STI could contribute directly to the development in key sectors such as education,
health, energy and food. In addition, the Group of 77 and China wish to highlight the fact that
STI, especially under TFM, encompass the breadth and depth of the 17 sustainable
development goals, as technologies are crucial for the implementation of each and every
SDG. For instance, STI provide tremendous potential for eradication of poverty and
promotion of socio-economic development while also have a prominent role in promoting
inclusive growth and development as well as serve as critical enablers of economic
development and investment, with consequential benefits for employment and social
welfare. STI are therefore vital to developing countries' full participation in the global
economic and social community.
4. However, despite the remarkable contributions of technology to development and positive
trends in its connectivity and affordability, including increased internet access, rapid diffusion
of mobile communication and development of new services and applications, the Group are
still concerned about the continued widening gap in digital divide including gender divide and
First Annual Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SD... Page 1 of 2
http://www.g77.org/statement/getstatement.php?id=160606 09/06/2016
access to technology between developed and developing countries. These gaps have
prevented developing countries and the poor from full benefit of technology.
5. In this regard, the Group of 77 and China would like to reemphasise the importance of this
forum in providing opportunities for developing countries to bridge these gaps. This forum
should channel effective and sustainable technical assistance and capacity-building which is
tailored to the specific needs and constraints of developing countries, into addressing the
technology infrastructure as well as capacity constraints of developing countries, particularly
in LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS. It is also indispensable to strengthen educational institutions and
research and development organizations in developing countries. Last but not least, we
wholeheartedly encourage the development, dissemination and diffusion and transfer of
environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including
on concessional and preferential terms, for their implementation of the SDGs.
6. In conclusion, the Group of 77 and China fervently hope for a success of this year's forum.
Possible rooms for improvement for future forums include an enhanced participation of
developing countries by increasing financial support to their relevant authorities from
capitals. We believe that an inclusive STI forum will result in an effective interaction,
matchmaking and establishment of networks among relevant stakeholders as well as in
identifying and determining technology needs and gaps, and also facilitating transfer and
dissemination of relevant technologies in response to the actual needs of developing
countries.
I thank you.
First Annual Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SD... Page 2 of 2
http://www.g77.org/statement/getstatement.php?id=160606 09/06/2016
Stakeholders