New cooperation program on S&T and innovation among 4 Southeast Asian countries
The program aims to address common challenges through capacity building in science, technology and innovation in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam.
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Representatives of four countries Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam discussed with ESCAP about the new cooperation program. Photo:Jastyn Alain Limon
On August 10, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) said it was supporting the development of a new partnership program on S&T and innovation (STI) among Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam. This initiative will establish a partnership of mutual benefit, aiming to solve common challenges through enhancing the scientific research, technology and innovation capacity of the four countries.
This partnership program will identify specific areas, resources and policy commitments to support strategic cooperation among countries. “Countries need to leverage science, technology and innovation if they are to realize the Sustainable Development Goals. By facilitating bilateral and multilateral cooperation, we hope to foster national capacity to innovate, address societal priority challenges, and work towards shared prosperity,” said Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, said.
“The Thai government has launched the Bio-Circular-Green Economic Model as a new economic model to promote sustainable development at both national and regional area. This partnership will support our people and planet by focusing on the application of technological solutions and scientific knowledge to such sustainable economic models,” said Kitipong Promwong, President President of the National Higher Education Policy Council Office, Science, Research and Innovation (NXPO) Thailand, said.
This initiative will support the Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on STI Policy (ARTNETonSTI) in engaging a community of government officials and experts to jointly design science, technology and innovation policy, in order to build an inclusive and sustainable Southeast Asian community.
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