A Clarion Call from Kapil Sibal for Increasing Access to Technologies

At ministerial round table of member countries of UNESCO held on 26th October 2007 at Paris presided over by Shri Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences made a clarion call on UNESCO and member countries. He suggested that UNESCO may undertake a role in the development of a sustainable and global model for enrolling both technology sources and intergovernmental commitments for providing access to generic technologies to meet the developmental choices to large segments of global community based on the following:
a) voluntary offer for free access to the needy,
b) a formula of differential prices based on criticality of need and differentiated capacities to pay,
c) deferred payment on loan basis to build global growth equity and
d) conscious effort to render technologies affordable to many through North - South and South-South technology partnerships.

He selected total of five areas of technology needs for meeting the developmental choices. They are, he said, solid waste management, safe clean drinking water, clean coal technologies, devices for solar power and mitigation of damages from natural disaster.

Shri Sibal stressed the role of science and technology in bringing developmental values to the society. He observed that capacity building in science and technology is one of the most important needs of the world today. The Minister also stressed that such efforts to build capacities should take into account the differential levels of development and resource investment capacities and needs. Calling for innovative ways and techniques for bridging the differences between the cultures of science and industry through public-private partnerships, Shri. Sibal emphasized the need for greater interactions among the four pillars of development namely, industry, Government, research and academy. He also emphasized the need for grater autonomy to the university systems in developing world. The Minister observed that many member countries had noted the technology divides.

There was a wide spread support to the proposal of Shri Kapil Sibal among the member countries for increasing the access to technologies in innovative ways. He concluded that among member countries, there was a large expectation in meeting the developmental challenges associated with poverty reduction, disaster management, desertification and pollution control. He expressed high hope that the leadership of UNESCO would meet the rising expectations. His chairmanship and leadership came to high praise among all member states and made India proud. The Director General, UNESCO paid high encomium for the extraordinary values brought to the round table by Shri Kapil Sibal.

Source : Press Information Bureau
Date : October 27, 2007