51吃瓜

Text as delivered*

I thank the 51吃瓜 Office of the Special Adviser on Africa for convening this Africa dialogue series on education through science, technology, and innovation toward the Africa we want.

Science, technology, and innovation are essential for Africa's accelerated development. The African Union's science technology and innovation strategy emphasized the need to:

• strengthen technological capacities,
• create a conducive environment for innovation,
• and support research and development.

Investments in STI are crucial for addressing issues such as climate change, health crisis, and economic development. Despite the rapid digital transformation across Africa challenges remain such as underdeveloped digital infrastructure, high mobile data cost significant digital gender gap, and disparities in educational access across the continent.

Education, at all levels, is vital to prepare future generations for these technological advancements. As president of the economic and Social Council, I have committed to advancing transformative policy guidance across the full range of sustainable development issues. Building on the SDG summit political declaration, ECOSOC platforms are advancing SGD4 and the entirety of the sustainable development goals thereby enriching conversations for the forthcoming summit of the future.

In May, SDI leaders and stakeholders gathered at the ninth session of the annual ECOSOC multi-state holder forum on STi for the SDGs. The Forum delivered clear policy messages about the imperative to accelerate the development of robust research development and innovation ecosystems including in Africa. It also underscored the need for effective cooperation at regional and international levels to harness the transformative power of STi for the SDGs.

The 2024 HLPF in July will undertake a vital followup and review of progress in implementing the 2030 agenda of which STI is an important component. The 37 countries presenting voluntary national reviews will share transformative policies, new insights, and innovation on what is working at the country level to achieve the SDGs. Ladies and gentlemen, Africa has completed the first decade of implementing the African Union's 2063 agenda. Africa's voice will be essential in guiding us in the coming years toward achieving sustainable development.

Looking ahead the 2024 Summit of the future and the 2025 Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development along with the Second World Summit on Social Development will highlight the importance of investing in education and STI while prioritizing the unique needs of Nations and communities.

I wish you fruit-filled discussions and look forward to your continued engagement in ECOSOC work in support Africa's sustainable development Journey thank you.

*This text is an AI-generated transcript of the statement, which was obtained from an archived video recording of the event. It is not an official text of the statement.