Dubai Getting Ready To Host High-level Conference on Science and Technology In the South

South to formulate global strategy and new vision
for cooperation among developing countries

UNITED NATIONS – 22 October 2002 – In the context of the implementation of the recommendations of the first ever South Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Havana, Cuba, in April 2000, and under the sponsorship of the Group of 77 in New York, in close coordination with the Chapter of the Group of 77 in Paris, currently chaired by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and in collaboration with the Municipality of Dubai (UAE), the first ever South-South High-level Conference on Science and Technology is to inaugurate its session in Dubai on Sunday, 27 October 2002, at 10:00 a.m. at the Rotana Al-Bustan Hotel Conference Center.

The convening of the four-day meeting comes in the wake of the historic South Summit that brought together the Heads of State and Government of the developing world. The South Summit decided, among others, to convene a South-South High-level Conference on Science and Technology with a view to formulating a global strategy and clear policies in the South to strengthen South-South cooperation in the area of science and technology.

A large number of Ministers, Government officials, as well as representatives of the United Nations specialized agencies, the scientific and research community and academia, have confirmed their participation in the Dubai Conference. The meeting is the first of its kind to take place under the aegis of the Group of 77 and is expected to provide a political vision for a South-South platform for a dynamic cooperation in the fields of communication technology; biotechnology; and safe drinking water technology. To make the proceedings as interactive as possible, a high-level dialogue at the ministerial level on the challenges and strategies for science and technology will also be organized. Three specific workshops will provide the opportunity for experts and researchers as well as representatives of international organizations to exchange views on these crucial issues. Other parallel special events, including an exhibition, are to be organized by the Dubai Municipality.

The Group of 77 was established on 15 June 1964. It is the largest organization of developing countries in the world. This year, the Group marked its 38th anniversary and has grown significantly in size and influence since its inception. With the Republic of Palau joining the Group, the G-77 now comprises 134 nations and represents 4/5 of the world’s population. Headquartered at the United Nations in New York, the Group has several chapters in important UN centers including Geneva, Nairobi, Paris, Rome, Vienna, and Washington, D.C.

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