By Brenda Nkosi-Mana
President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has called on the world leaders to face challenges of COVID-19, poverty and climate change as a team in order to address them.
He made the call on Sunday when he gave a keynote address on the role and importance of National Determined Contributions (NDCs) in concerted efforts to achieve climate and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the Global Sustainable Technology and Innovations (G-STIC) Conference in Dubai.
“COVID-19 being the latest manifestation, which has not only killed close to 5 million people around the world in less than two years, but has disrupted our way of living, destroyed livelihoods and fermented attitudes of suspicions and discrimination,” Chakwera noted.
The Malawi Leader said even an army as united as they are cannot prevail against powerful forces like these without arms.
“This is why we must democratize the global advancements in technology and innovation to accelerate the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) by all nations,” he said.
Chakwera said technology and innovation are the guaranteed way that no nation was left behind and does not miss the train of human progress.
“The Malawi 2063 Agenda emphasizes that Africa’s sustained growth, competitiveness and economic transformation requires sustained investment in new technologies and continuous innovation in almost all sectors of the economy,” the President added.
He said Malawi has laid a foundation for global partnerships and investments in new technologies that would fast track Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and give investors access to an exciting new market in Southern African Development Community (SADC) region in general and Malawi in particular.
Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan of Jordan said the challenges the world was currently experiencing needs the whole world to be connected as much as possible.
“We can only be connected through science and technology to have the tools to contribute to the attainment of SDG’s,” she said.
El Hassan said her organisation; Royal Science Society which she is the President of has 12O member institutions in more than 50 countries of which most are research and technology organisations or universities.
‘We have redoubled our efforts to connect diverse members to igniting nations across borders and between continents to connect with researchers and experts to share our commitment to empowering the SDGs,” she pointed out.
El Hassan said they believe that diversity and innovation makes life and is a must.
“Digital connectivity is now central to all we do. If we have any doubts about that, the COVID-19 pandemic has started them. It empowers everything from work and education to health care and social connection. It is a key facilitator of all concerns and dis-functioning partnerships,” she said.
On July 27, 2015 the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Resolution titled Addis Ababa Action Agenda which decided to establish a Technology Facilitation Mechanism (TFM) to support the achievement of SDGs.
As the World Leaders meet to map the way forward of technology and innovations, COVID-19 was the most attributed punch needed to redirect the world to the need for Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) in today’s world.
