Luanda – Angola presented the report on the Review of the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy at the 26th Session of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), taking place in Geneva since the 27th and ending on Friday.
According to a note sent to ANGOP this Thursday, the document was presented by the minister of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Maria do Rosário Bragança, who at the time stressed that the focus of the aforementioned review is the national innovation system, innovative entrepreneurship, mapping the innovation ecosystem and new digital technologies in the country.
This process, she said, involves not only the policies under the responsibility of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, but all areas of the Government that impact innovation.
According to the minister, the focus on innovation is directly linked to economic diversification, through the enlargement of the economy's productive capacities for the production of unprecedented goods and services in the country and the consequent generation of jobs.
The study was carried out with the support of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
According to the study presented by UNCTAD, it is necessary to identify strategic priorities for the diversification of the economy, and this must be directed to products considered complex and that require greater productive and technological capacity.
The document presented concluded that it is necessary to change the strategic orientation on Science, Technology and Innovation, currently focused on science, to a more focused on technology and innovation with a view to economic diversification.
She also refers that scientific, technological and innovation policies should be considered an instrument for industrial and economic policies.
According to the report, the Government should provide strategic support in technology acquisition and development, through a demand-driven approach, increase short and long term funding for the national innovation system and boost technological learning, innovation, as well as economic diversification.
She also refers that scientific, technological and innovation policies should be considered an instrument for industrial and economic policies.
CSTD is a subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations focal point for analyzing how science, technology and innovation (STI), including information and communication technologies (ICTs), serve as enablers of the Agenda 2030.
It acts as a forum for strategic planning, providing forecasts on critical trends regarding STI in key sectors of the economy, environment and society, and draws attention to emerging and disruptive technologies.
The 26th Session of the CSTD is addressing the themes “Technology and innovation for cleaner, more productive and competitive production” and “Guaranteeing drinking water and sanitation for all: a science, technology and innovation solution”.
