12 January 2017: The Co-Chairs of the Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), along with UN General Assembly (UNGA) President Peter Thomson and Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) President Frederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava, announced next steps towards the second STI Forum and highlighted key elements from the first Forum, which was held in 2016.

The STI Forum is a component of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism (TFM), mandated by the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The other components of the TFM include an Inter-Agency Task Team on STI for SDGs (IATT), a ten-Member Group, and an online platform. The ten-Member Group was appointed in January 2016 to work with the IATT to prepare for the STI Forum, and develop and operationalize the TFM’s online platform, among other tasks. The online platform is expected to provide a comprehensive mapping of existing STI initiatives, mechanisms and programmes within and beyond the UN.

The TFM was officially launched in UNGA resolution 70/1 in September 2015, with a call for the ECOSOC President to convene the STI Forum once a year to discuss cooperation on STI around thematic areas for the implementation of the SDGs. The inaugural STI Forum, held from 6-7 June 2016, in New York, US, focused on “realizing the potential of science, technology and innovation for all to achieve the SDGs.”

Opening the briefing for UN Member States on 12 January 2017, Thomson recalled that the inaugural forum brought together more than 600 participants from 81 governments, including more than 350 scientists, innovators, technology specialists, entrepreneurs and civil society representatives. He said the second Forum will take place on 15-16 May 2017, and he invited Member States to help raise awareness of the Forum’s importance as an “essential element” for the implementation of each SDG.

Shava announced his reappointment of Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative of Kenya, and Vaughan Turekian, Science and Technology Adviser to the US Secretary of State, as co-chairs of the Forum. Kamau said the STI Forum should pay attention to the social sciences, as STI solutions need to be applicable in different countries and cultural circumstances. He stressed the need for: capacity building, on which the UN and academic institutions could have a great impact; better policy coherence on STI; and creating robust ecosystems of advisories from all countries. Kamau said that he remains “very concerned” because the UN has not secured the necessary budgetary allocation for the TFM and the STI Forum.

Turekian explained that the 2017 STI Forum will seek to connect scientists and innovators with those seeking solutions, and it will focus on how STI can help to solve current development challenges. He said the Forum will be action-oriented, will highlight emerging technologies, and will feature side events and other networking opportunities.

Wu said the TFM remains unfunded in 2017, and DESA will seek extra-budgetary resources.

Wu Hongbo, head of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), announced that the ten-Member Group will hold a planning meeting in Paris, France, in January 2017, and will start operationalizing the online platform, which will serve as a matchmaking mechanism between demands and offers. He stressed that solutions presented in the online platform must be relevant to implementing the 2030 Agenda and affordable for developing countries. Wu said the TFM remains unfunded in 2017, and DESA will seek extra-budgetary resources.

In the ensuing discussion, Member States highlighted the need for: greater emphasis on indigenous technology; outreach beyond the UN sphere; and talented people from all countries to be brought together and educated at the same level, in order to be provided with equal resources and opportunities. [UNGA President’s Letter Announcing Briefing] [UNGA President Remarks] [Briefing Webcast] [ENB Coverage of 2016 STI Forum] [STI Forum Website]