Dubai Conference Adopts Declaration On Promotion of Science and Technology in the South

Dubai, 30 October 2002 – Executive Secretariat of the Group of 77 – The High-level Conference on Science and Technology ended its four-day substantive session today, with the unanimous adoption of a Declaration on the Promotion of Science and Technology in the South, known as the Dubai Declaration.

In his address to the closing ceremony, the Chairman of the Group of 77 in New York and Permanent Representative of Venezuela to the United Nations, His Excellency Ambassador Milos Alcalay thanked the Government of the United Arab Emirates, especially His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rached Al-Maktum, and the Municipality of Dubai for the warm hospitality and the outstanding organization of the Conference. He welcomed the outcome of the Conference as a turning point in the strengthening of South-South cooperation in science and technology. He stated that the adoption of both documents represent a crucial step for the convening of a high-level forum on South-South cooperation to be presented to the Heads of State. Ambassador Alcalay concluded that Dubai demonstrated the capacity of the Group of 77 to embrace progress and renovation, for the benefit of the principles adopted at its inception in 1964.

The President of the Conference and Chairman of the Paris Chapter of the Group of 77, His Excellency Ambassador Hussein Ghubash said that what characterized the Dubai Conference was the massive participation of eminent scientists from the developing world. Dr. Ghubash stressed that the Dubai Declaration represents a historic platform for a renewed South-South cooperation in science and technology. Ambassador Ghubash welcomed the Declaration of Scientists for Peace and Development, signed by a large number of eminent representatives of the scientific and research community.

The participants also adopted a resolution, introduced by Cuba, on behalf of the Group of 77, expressing their appreciation to the Government of the United Arab Emirates and the Municipality of Dubai for hosting the High-level Conference on Science and Technology.

The adopted Declaration on the Promotion of Science and Technology in the South, reaffirms the strong commitment of the Members States of the Group of 77 to the implementation of the principles and recommendations of the historic South Summit, held in Havana in April 2000, and emphasizes with great concern the disparities between the developed and developing world in their capacity to produce scientific and technological knowledge in support of social and economic development. In this context, the Group of 77 welcomes the initiative of the United Arab Emirates in UNESCO to launch a South-South Solidarity Programme in the field of Education, aimed at assisting developing countries to use and benefit from the full potential of the South in this field.

The Conference considers that new and additional resources should be devoted by the international community science and technology in the South and calls for greater recognition of the special needs of developing countries in these areas, bearing in mind their significant obstacles, including lack or inadequacy of resources, infrastructure, and institutions.

The Conference firmly rejects the imposition of laws and regulations with extraterritorial impact and all other forms of coercive economic measures, including unilateral sanctions against developing countries that affect scientific and technological programmes, for peaceful purposes, of the Member States of the Group of 77.

The Conference acknowledges the significant role of the institutional members of the Trieste System plays in the promotion of science and technology capacity building in the developing world and in the advancement of South-South cooperation and the vital importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Biotechnology; and access to safe drinking waters, which were at the center of three scientific workshops held during the Conference.

The Conference calls for the establishment of a South-South network, linking research & development (R&D) institutions to enhance the South’s efforts in setting up strategic programmes in this area. The Conference invites the Chairman of the Group of 77 in New York, in collaboration with the Chairmen of the other Chapters, to undertake the appropriate consultations for the establishment of the following: a Trust Fund for the promotion of knowledge and technology in the South; a consortium of knowledge and technology, comprising representatives from the Governments, the private sector and other relevant organizations aimed at promoting joint ventures in the South; and an Award of the Group of 77 aimed at recognizing and honor individuals scientists from developing countries who have made outstanding scientific contributions of the highest international quality.

The scientific and research community gathered in Dubai subscribed to a Declaration on Science and Technology for Peace and Development that call on the Governments of the Group of 77 to increase funding for science and technology by 2,5% of the Gross National Product by the year 2010. The scientists reiterate that violence and war divert valuable resources from scientific and technological progress and stress the urgent need to resolve all disputes through dialogue and peaceful means.

More than 70 high-level delegations and over 150 scientists and researchers from the developing countries took part in the Dubai Conference. The gathering was the first ever under the aegis of the Group of 77. It held a Ministerial interactive dialogue and three workshops on the following topics: Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs); Biotechnology; and access to safe drinking water.

The convening of the Conference was decided by the Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77 at the South Summit, held in Havana, Cuba, in April 2000. It was sponsored by the Group of 77 in New York, the Paris Chapter, currently chaired by the United Arab Emirates, and the Dubai Municipality.

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