Statement by H.E. Mr. KIMURA Tetsuya, Ambassador of Japan to the United Nations, at the UN 75th General Assembly Side Event on STI for SDGs Roadmaps Science, Technology and Innovation Roadmaps for the SDGs – achievements and new opportunities, Co-organized by UN DESA (on behalf of IATT), EC – JRC, OECD, and Japan
2020/11/17
Excellencies,
Distinguished Experts from the 10-Member Group,
Distinguished Delegates,
It is a great honour for me to address this GA side-event on the next steps for the STI Roadmaps for SDGs today for the first time since I succeeded the duties of Ambassador Hoshino in June. Japan has always been a pro-active supporter and advocate of STI for the SDGs.
COVID-19 continues to threaten global efforts to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. At the same time, it presents an unprecedented opportunity for us to build back better towards a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future. We must foster a stronger science-policy-society interface at the local, national, regional, and global levels. This is why the STI Roadmaps for SDGs are more relevant than ever, and this is why we gather together today.
In this regard, Japan would like to congratulate IATT and the 10-Member Group on the launch of the Guidebook for the preparation of the STI Roadmaps for SDGs, two background papers, and an operational note. I am also grateful for the great progress and insightful recommendations delivered by the distinguished representatives from the pilot programme countries.
Building on these quality assets, Japan welcomes the launch of “Partnership in Action,” in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, which marks a vital milestone for our collective commitment to the UN Technology Facilitation Mechanism enshrined in the 2030 Agenda.
However, we all know that Partnership in Action cannot happen ‘automatically.’
In this vein, distinguished colleagues and partners, I would like to call for your support to scale up STI cooperation in order to capitalize synergies among the pilot countries and accelerate the progress during the Decade of Action and beyond.
In a meantime, I would like to propose a few priority actions for this session:
– First, an assessment of the costs associated with the expanded pilot program is needed to set out a clear resource mobilization goal and strategy. This is crucial as we have many competing priorities.
– Second, it would be useful for us to have a more detailed assessment of the buy-in to Partnership in Action, and more effective incentives mechanisms to promote collaboration with the private sector, academia, research centers, and civil society.
– Third, we propose designing targeted initiatives for strengthening cooperation in prioritized SDG areas to leverage collaboration. COVID-19 has caused a human security crisis and has affected the most vulnerable segments of our society the hardest. We should strengthen health systems to be more resilient and comprehensive, and generate an enabling environment for health security across a broad range of sectors, including water and sanitation, food and nutrition, education, gender, and so on. In particular, Universal Health Coverage and food security are indispensable. We should address the most relevant issues in each country by protecting and empowering individual persons, so that no one will be left behind.
– Last, I would recommend that the IATT Secretariat circulate the concept note of Partnership in Action for further consultations with the Member States and collect comments and recommendations in order to make this process as inclusive and transparent as possible.
I thank you.
Distinguished Experts from the 10-Member Group,
Distinguished Delegates,
It is a great honour for me to address this GA side-event on the next steps for the STI Roadmaps for SDGs today for the first time since I succeeded the duties of Ambassador Hoshino in June. Japan has always been a pro-active supporter and advocate of STI for the SDGs.
COVID-19 continues to threaten global efforts to accelerate progress towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. At the same time, it presents an unprecedented opportunity for us to build back better towards a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future. We must foster a stronger science-policy-society interface at the local, national, regional, and global levels. This is why the STI Roadmaps for SDGs are more relevant than ever, and this is why we gather together today.
In this regard, Japan would like to congratulate IATT and the 10-Member Group on the launch of the Guidebook for the preparation of the STI Roadmaps for SDGs, two background papers, and an operational note. I am also grateful for the great progress and insightful recommendations delivered by the distinguished representatives from the pilot programme countries.
Building on these quality assets, Japan welcomes the launch of “Partnership in Action,” in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, which marks a vital milestone for our collective commitment to the UN Technology Facilitation Mechanism enshrined in the 2030 Agenda.
However, we all know that Partnership in Action cannot happen ‘automatically.’
In this vein, distinguished colleagues and partners, I would like to call for your support to scale up STI cooperation in order to capitalize synergies among the pilot countries and accelerate the progress during the Decade of Action and beyond.
In a meantime, I would like to propose a few priority actions for this session:
– First, an assessment of the costs associated with the expanded pilot program is needed to set out a clear resource mobilization goal and strategy. This is crucial as we have many competing priorities.
– Second, it would be useful for us to have a more detailed assessment of the buy-in to Partnership in Action, and more effective incentives mechanisms to promote collaboration with the private sector, academia, research centers, and civil society.
– Third, we propose designing targeted initiatives for strengthening cooperation in prioritized SDG areas to leverage collaboration. COVID-19 has caused a human security crisis and has affected the most vulnerable segments of our society the hardest. We should strengthen health systems to be more resilient and comprehensive, and generate an enabling environment for health security across a broad range of sectors, including water and sanitation, food and nutrition, education, gender, and so on. In particular, Universal Health Coverage and food security are indispensable. We should address the most relevant issues in each country by protecting and empowering individual persons, so that no one will be left behind.
– Last, I would recommend that the IATT Secretariat circulate the concept note of Partnership in Action for further consultations with the Member States and collect comments and recommendations in order to make this process as inclusive and transparent as possible.
I thank you.