Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development to be Discussed in Regional Meeting Hosted by ESCWA

The Amman based ESCWA Technology Centre will host the Regional Preparatory Meeting for Western Asia in support of the 2013 Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) under the theme: “Science, Technology and Innovation, and the Potential of Culture, for Promoting Sustainable Development and Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),” on 26 November 2012 from 1:30-5:15, at El-Hassan Science City, Hashemite Auditorium. The event aims to support the preparations for the AMR and to enable countries to engage at an early stage in the process leading to the AMR session to be held during the ECOSOC high-level segment in Geneva, in July 2013. The initiative also aims to support the global review by focusing on one specific aspect of the AMR theme that is especially relevant to countries in the region. Each AMR session features three key elements: national voluntary presentations (NVPs); country-led regional consultations; and a global review based on a comprehensive report by the Secretary-General, each of which is complemented by a number of side events organized at the global level, including an innovation fair; youth event; preparatory meeting and e-discussion on the AMR theme. The opening session will feature speeches for H.E. Mr. Jaafar Hassan, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation of Jordan, Mr. Desra Percaya, Vice-President of ECOSOC and Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the UN, Ms. Rima Khalaf, UN Under-Secretary General and ESCWA Executive Secretary, and Mr. Thomas Stelzer, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-agency Affairs UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). Two round table discussions entitled “Enabling Productive Capacities in Science, Technology and Innovation in Western Asia” and “Harnessing Global Knowledge and Technologies for Regional Sustainable Development Initiatives,” moderated by Mr. Fouad Mrad, Executive Director of ESCWA Technology Centre, and Mr. Stelzer respectively will follow. Participants in the consultations meeting will include UN officials, policy makers from the countries in the region with responsibility for the implementation of national development strategies; representatives of multilateral institutions and key donors engaged with the theme of the meeting; and representatives from the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other sectors of civil society.