Bedu Ram Bhusal, Nepalese Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, spoke at the G77 and China Summit on behalf of the least developed countries (LDCs), affirming that Cuba reflects and expresses the sentiments of the Group of 77 and China.
Commenting on the position of the least developed countries, the Minister emphasized that science, technology and innovation are fundamental pillars of development.
He stressed that economic transformation can be achieved by promoting productive skills through the use of science, especially in areas such as health and education, through the application of scientific and technological innovations.
Furthermore, he stressed that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are critical and can only be achieved through collective efforts, including advances in telecommunications and information and communications technologies (ICT).
Bhusal noted that problems remain when technology is not appropriately used for development goals and that countries in the Global South must strive to achieve mastery of these technologies.
He explained that the technological gap is a challenge that affects them and their actions must provide them with the necessary skills to bridge this gap.
In this sense, he emphasized that the countries of the South have made significant progress in the field of technologies, but that with unity and cooperation they can make even further progress.
He emphasized the importance of building a system of innovation and development of one’s own knowledge based on what southern countries can produce after the pandemic.
The minister emphasized the need to develop new strategies to achieve scientific and technological progress and promote science-based education. He also called for promoting comprehensive technology transfers and reducing inequalities between developed and underdeveloped countries. In addition, he advocated for reforming the international financial system and obtaining greater resources and investment.
Bhusal stressed the need to promote effective technology transfer from developed countries, which has not been enough so far despite the promises made. He believed that the G77 and China should promote narrowing the digital divide to encourage greater use of the Internet.