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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FOR ACHIEVING THE UN MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS
23 September 2005

Internet, training, education and partnerships all vital

The heads of international scientific, engineering, and medical organisations have made an unprecedented effort to encourage Heads of State and Government at the United Nations General Assembly, to support the essential role that science, technology and innovation have to play in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

In releasing the UN Statement in Australia on behalf of two of the signatory international organisations, the President of the Australian Academy of Science, Dr Jim Peacock and the President of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Dr John Zillman, called for Australian Government support for its seven point plan.

'We all have a part to play,' Dr Peacock said. 'Each nation must have a source of independent, credible and timely advice to government policy makers and the public on critical issues involving science and technology.'

'That is a particular challenge for our learned Academies,' said Dr Zillman who, as current President of the International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS), is one of the 11 signatories of the international statement to world leaders.

Other signatory organisations included The InterAcademy Panel (IAP), The InterAcademy Medical Panel (IAMP), The World Federation of Engineering Organisations and the International Council for Science (ICSU).

As President of the Australian Academy of Science, which is the Australian affiliate to ICSU, IAP and IAMP, Dr Peacock stressed the importance of international partnerships in science and technology. 'It is critical that appropriate international networks are in place to enable all nations to share their experiences and have a source of independent, credible, and timely advice.

'And scientists the world over need to commit to working with appropriate partners to help implement these urgent actions. Effective public and private partnerships will be important in this regard. Access to the Internet by all scientists and academic institutions is a vital component of this knowledge sharing for capacity building,' Dr Peacock said.

Dr Zillman added, 'Sustained progress in reducing poverty and related problems will require strengthened institutions for science, technology, and innovation throughout the world, including in each developing nation. There can be no doubt that science, technology, and innovation are essential components of effective strategies and programs for reducing poverty and its many associated problems. This has been shown in the past time and again.'

He noted that training future generations of scientists, engineers, and medical experts, including both women and men, and improvement at all levels of education, from primary to tertiary is another significant and urgent consideration.

'Only with well-educated people can any nation hope to create, adapt, and exploit scientific and technological solutions appropriate to achieving its own specific goals.'