Japan
Joint Session between FfD and Post-2015 processes
Technology facilitation mechanism, and other science, technology and innovation issues
22 April 2015
Statement by Mr. Takeshi Osuga, Ambassador,
Deputy Director-General for International Cooperation and Global Issues
I thank the Co-moderators of the structured dialogue for their presentations and also the four Co-facilitators for sharing their thoughts on this important agenda.
The role and the need of technology to address the SDGs is more than evident. Important thing is to make full use of existing initiatives to promote dialogue at all levels, improve access to information and knowledge sharing activities. In doing so, we should fully take into account the market needs, good policies and practices by countries to incentivize innovation and to enhance capacity of human resources. Creation of a new structure or a mechanism in the UN should not be seen as an objective in itself.
We should carefully consider what value a new “global technology facilitation mechanism” would add without duplicating the existing or proposed mechanisms in the wider UN system. We already have Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) under UNFCCC, UNEP has “International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC)”, WIPO has “WIPO Green” and LDCs technology bank is under consideration. It is difficult to imagine that setting up one single global structure to cover all technologies is the way forward.
The most effective means for most countries to have technologies transferred from other countries is to create a domestic investment environment to attract foreign direct investment with leading technologies. The economic growth in Asia followed this path. Concrete measures needed in this respect are those that will be mentioned in the Chapter II.B. “Domestic and International private business and finance” of the FfD outcome zero draft.
I also argued last week during the discussion on the Chapter II.G. of the FfD zero draft on “Technology, innovation and capacity building”, that more focus should be placed on the enabling environment and non-financial support. They are, for example, importance of balanced IPR regimes, rule of law, investments in education, health, information and communication technologies and infrastructure that would further increase developing countries’ demand for and ability to absorb technology.
What can we agree on technology in the FfD and post-2015 processes? Japan proposes two points.
1) Promote multi-stakeholder partnerships on SDGs related technologies, through and under the follow-up process of FfD and post-2015 to be agreed, by encouraging them to showcase their initiatives, lessons learned and create synergies.
2) Ensure the engagement of the private sector in the same follow-up process with the focus on the transfer of environmentally sound technologies. The perspectives of private companies were not sufficiently presented in the workshop and the structured dialogue.
Thank you very much.
Technology facilitation mechanism, and other science, technology and innovation issues
22 April 2015
Statement by Mr. Takeshi Osuga, Ambassador,
Deputy Director-General for International Cooperation and Global Issues
I thank the Co-moderators of the structured dialogue for their presentations and also the four Co-facilitators for sharing their thoughts on this important agenda.
The role and the need of technology to address the SDGs is more than evident. Important thing is to make full use of existing initiatives to promote dialogue at all levels, improve access to information and knowledge sharing activities. In doing so, we should fully take into account the market needs, good policies and practices by countries to incentivize innovation and to enhance capacity of human resources. Creation of a new structure or a mechanism in the UN should not be seen as an objective in itself.
We should carefully consider what value a new “global technology facilitation mechanism” would add without duplicating the existing or proposed mechanisms in the wider UN system. We already have Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) under UNFCCC, UNEP has “International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC)”, WIPO has “WIPO Green” and LDCs technology bank is under consideration. It is difficult to imagine that setting up one single global structure to cover all technologies is the way forward.
The most effective means for most countries to have technologies transferred from other countries is to create a domestic investment environment to attract foreign direct investment with leading technologies. The economic growth in Asia followed this path. Concrete measures needed in this respect are those that will be mentioned in the Chapter II.B. “Domestic and International private business and finance” of the FfD outcome zero draft.
I also argued last week during the discussion on the Chapter II.G. of the FfD zero draft on “Technology, innovation and capacity building”, that more focus should be placed on the enabling environment and non-financial support. They are, for example, importance of balanced IPR regimes, rule of law, investments in education, health, information and communication technologies and infrastructure that would further increase developing countries’ demand for and ability to absorb technology.
What can we agree on technology in the FfD and post-2015 processes? Japan proposes two points.
1) Promote multi-stakeholder partnerships on SDGs related technologies, through and under the follow-up process of FfD and post-2015 to be agreed, by encouraging them to showcase their initiatives, lessons learned and create synergies.
2) Ensure the engagement of the private sector in the same follow-up process with the focus on the transfer of environmentally sound technologies. The perspectives of private companies were not sufficiently presented in the workshop and the structured dialogue.
Thank you very much.
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