Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries - Biotechnology

Biological Weapons Convention – Ninth Review Conference - General Debate

RJANSEN3 — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 22:26:00 +0000

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Statement by Ms. Federica Irene Falomi, Economic Affairs Officer

29 November 2022, Geneva

Mr. President,

Excellencies, Distinguished delegates,

Ladies and gentlemen,

First, let me thank you for inviting the UN Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries to this important Conference and for the opportunity to share with you some perspectives on the role and work of the UN Technology Bank.

The 46 least developed countries are low-income countries suffering the most severe structural impediments to sustainable and inclusive development. The latest programmes of action for the least developed countries have recognized that eradicating poverty and removing structural impediments will remain a distant dream if these countries fail to build up national capacities in science, technology and innovation. The UN Technology Bank was established by the General Assembly to bridge this gap and strengthen the science, technology and innovation capacity of LDCs towards building sustainable development and structural economic transformation.

The Covid-19 pandemic and global economic downturn have reversed years of development gains, and with only eight years left to deliver on the SDGs, this agenda has become more important than ever before.

With the pace of technology development continuing to accelerate, the BWC remains increasingly relevant to address and prevent risks and threats that could affect countries in an increasingly interconnected and globalized world.

Scientific discoveries and technologies continue to advance and our collective ability to understand the impact of these changes and respond effectively needs to adjust accordingly, especially in the context of LDCs which are lagging far behind in technological development. Importantly, advanced developments in biological science and technology have also expanded the possibility of beneficial applications in the fields of public health, agriculture and the environment. The Covid-19 pandemic clearly showed the importance of biotechnology for the detection and treatment of novel viruses, but also exposed the unpreparedness of many countries, particularly the least developed countries. In this respect, the Ninth Review Conference comes at a timely moment to further strengthen the Convention implementation, particularly to advance cooperation and assistance to enhance least developed countries’ preparedness, as well as their access to latest developments in biotechnology through technology transfer.

Article X of the Convention presents a unique opportunity for State Parties and their development partners to advance action in this regard. Article X has direct relevance in the context of technology transfer to LDCs, which is also a key component of the UN Technology Bank’s mandate.

The UN Technology Bank has conducted Technology Needs Assessment in 14 LDCs and the evidence emerging shows that these countries attach high priority to the use of biotechnology, especially in public health and to support the technological upgrading of agricultural systems. Agriculture is a cornerstone of least developed countries’ economies, making up a significant portion of their GDP, and providing employment and livelihood to the majority of their population, which is expected to reach 1.3 billion by 2030. Unfortunately, these countries face critical challenges in increasing agricultural productivity and attaining food security. Enhanced international cooperation aimed at facilitating LDCs’ access to beneficial biotechnologies could have significant impact in increasing yields, improving food quality and safety, and enhancing crops’ resilience to climate shocks.

In recognition of this reality, the UN Technology Bank - in collaboration with the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and The World Academy of Sciences - has initiated a technical cooperation programme to bridge the existing gap in technical knowledge and skills in LDCs. The central objective of the programme is to strengthen biotechnology research and regulatory capacity for the use of appropriate biotechnologies in LDCs through North-South and South-South training and capacity building. The programme has already awarded thirteen fellowships to early-career researchers.

Finally, the UN Technology Bank wishes to commend the BWC Implementation Support Unit’s efforts and Norway’s support to foster dialogue and strengthen capacity building activities under Article X through the organization of the “Conference on Promoting Beneficial Technologies”. I also wish to thank the ISU for inviting the UN Technology Bank to participate at that Conference to outline its assistance activities in science, technology and innovation, as relevant to Article X. The UN Technology Bank will further discuss with the ISU relevant partnership and capacity building activities under Article X for the coming years.

I wish to conclude by thanking you for inviting the UN Technology Bank and reaffirm the UN Technology Bank’s availability to join efforts with all partners to build the capacities of the least developed countries for the positive use of biotechnology.

I thank you.

Event recording:

Source: UN Web TV

Front Page Article:

UN Technology Bank, TWAS and ICGEB Fellowship Programme for Scientists from LDCs is Open

mbuldys — Tue, 25 May 2021 17:21:00 +0000

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The UN Technology Bank , TWAS and ICGEB offer early-career scientists from the 46 least developed countries (LDCs), aged 45 or under, exchange visits of up to six months at the ICGEB laboratories in Trieste (Italy), New Delhi (India) and Cape Town (South Africa).

PACTs Agreement

The programme agreement is called PACTs (ProgrAmme of CollaboraTions with LDCs) that offers early- career scientists from the 46 least developed countries (LDCs), who are aged 45 or under, exchange visits of up to six months at the ICGEB laboratories in Trieste (Italy), New Delhi (India) and Cape Town (South Africa). Scientists will be working in the fields of biomedicine, biotechnology and agriculture. It will also include a third scheme to provide training in biotechnology policy and regulatory science by ICGEB experts.

Application

Prospective Fellows can apply by logging into the Application Portal filling in the online application form for the South-South Programme or the South-North Programme, uploading all supporting materials and submit their application materials before 20 September 2021.

To learn more about the PACTs program, please visit the official announcement, “The UN Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries, TWAS and ICGEB launch a programme to building scientific development in least developed countries.”

Contact Information

For addition inquiries or questions related to the programme and requirements, please contact:

Mr. Moshe Kao, Programme Management Officer, UNTBLDC | E: moshe.kao@un.org
Dr. Max Paoli, TWAS Programme Coordinator | E-mail: mpaoli@twas.org
Ms. Martina Viviani, ICGEB Fundraising, Technology Transfer & Innovation Officer | E-mail: grants@icgeb.org

For questions related to the Application Portal, please contact: Ms. Fabrizia Niscio| | E-mail: f.niscio@unesco.org

Materials

Application Poster [EN]
FAQ [EN]

Front Page Article:

UN Technology Bank, TWAS and ICGEB launch a programme to building scientific development in LDCs

mbuldys — Wed, 20 Jan 2021 15:43:00 +0000

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Trieste/Gebze – Scientific skills and personal engagement alone are not enough to develop a career in science, especially in developing countries. Assets to build high-quality education and achieve meaningful results include learning from experienced researchers to guide scientific growth and creating a collaborative network for long-term support and cooperation.

Through an ambitious programme targeted at scientists from least developed countries (LDCs), the UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries, TWAS and ICGEB pave the way to enhance the scientific competences of early-career researchers in countries with low socioeconomic development.

These and other resources are embedded in a far-reaching collaboration programme endorsed by the UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries, The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), and the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB).

The programme agreement called PACTs (ProgrAmme of CollaboraTions with LDCs) offers early- career scientists from the 46 least developed countries (LDCs), who are aged 45 or under, exchange visits of up to 6-months at the ICGEB laboratories in Trieste (Italy), New Delhi (India) and Cape Town (South Africa). Scientists will be working in the fields of biomedicine, biotechnology and agriculture. It will also include a third scheme to provide training in biotechnology policy and regulatory science by ICGEB experts.

"TWAS is extremely eager to initiate this new programme solely dedicated to LDCs, with research in biotech holding centre stage," said TWAS Executive Director Romain Murenzi. "We believe that the project and the partnership with UN Technology Bank and ICGEB can be extremely beneficial to multiple areas of development."

The least developed countries are very low-income countries with vulnerable economies and severe challenges that impede sustainable development, whose population confront daily with hardship and long-term impediments to economic, social and scientific growth. A major goal of PACTs would be changing this trend towards sustainable development.

Dr Lawrence Banks, ICGEB Director-General affirms: “ICGEB is very excited about this collaboration with UN Technology Bank and TWAS where we will be working together to bring research and training in biotechnology to LDCs. This will ensure that the fruits of modern biotechnology can reach countries where it is most needed and thereby directly contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”

“The collaboration with ICGEB and TWAS presents an opportunity to enhance the scientific competencies of at least 40 scientists across the LDCs in biotechnology through a combination of specialist training in relevant soft skills and direct research funding. This will increase LDC capacities in biotechnology policy and regulatory requirements,” said Mr Joshua Setipa, Managing Director of UN Technology Bank. “The current COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need for countries to strengthen their biotechnology capabilities and contribute to the strengthening of health systems and towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals.”

The PACTs agreement will last five years: after the first three years of fellow selection and awards, the project will continue for other two years with the monitoring and final evaluation phase, during which Fellows may also apply for ICGEB Early Return Career Grants to obtain seed funding for their research upon their return to their home countries.

The programme follows a new modality of funding called UN-UN Interagency Agreement, whereby management costs are reduced compared to other similar initiatives.

PACTs meets the mission shared by the three Partners: to strengthen science and technology in developing countries; to promote networking among researchers and research institutions, and to help nations identify and use appropriate technologies to transform their economies and improve livelihoods.

Download the press release

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