Commission on Science and Technology for Development, twenty-seventh session

The Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) is a subsidiary body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the United Nations focal point for science, technology and innovation (STI) for development, in analyzing how STI, including information and communications technologies (ICTs), serve as enablers of the 2030 Agenda.

It acts as a forum for strategic planning, sharing lessons learned and best practices, providing foresight about critical trends in STI in key sectors of the economy, the environment and society, and drawing attention to emerging and disruptive technologies.

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has hosted the secretariat of the commission since 1993.

Priority themes

Every year, the commission has two priority themes, for the twenty-seventh session, these are:

• Theme 1: Data for development.
• Theme 2: Global cooperation in science, technology and innovation for development.

The Commission will also review the progress made in the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society at the regional and international levels; and hear presentations on ongoing science, technology and innovation policy reviews.

Participants will include representatives of governments, international organizations, civil society and the private sector.

Participation

The session will be held with physical participation at the Palais des Nations through a simultaneous interpretation platform in the six official languages of the United Nations.

Follow the opening live on UN Web TV

The Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development, Rebeca Grynspan, will lead on 15 April a ministerial roundtable discussion on sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions for reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises. 

The opening will also feature a conversation with three distinguished academic scholars in STI and active on socioeconomic development, who will provide thought-provoking insights on these topics. They are:

• Yau Shing-Tung, a mathematician and poet who has won several world-renowned prizes including a Fields Medal (1982).
• Rolf-Dieter Heuer, a physicist and former Director-General of CERN.
• Nicola Spaldin, a professor in materials who has won several world-renowned prizes including Europhysics (2022).

The openingy plenary, including the ministerial roudtable and "Conversation with Great Minds" be streamed live on UN Web TV.