Programme / III. B - Knowledge and Technology in Developing Countries: Issues of Brain Drain and Transfer

This session seeks to stimulate dialogue on best practices and modalities for transferring, diffusing and localizing sciences and knowledge to support and accelerate efforts for achieving sustainable development in the Arab region. The session will also highlight the issue of brain drain in developing countries.

This session will expand on the outcomes of the Round-Table Workshop on “Science and Knowledge for Advancing the 2030 SDGs in the Arab Region”, which was organized in Cairo, Egypt in May 2016.

Transfer and localization of science and knowledge is an essential element for advancing sustainable human development. In the context of sustainable development, effective knowledge and technology transfer and utilization provide effective means to translate innovative and creative problem solving approaches from global to national and local levels. This event will explore the institutional capabilities requirements, and the challenges, opportunities and experiences that hinder/permit the relevant institutions to successfully absorb, adapt, develop and utilize knowledge and technology for developing the knowledge-based economy in any given state.  In addition to identification of major issues, challenges and opportunities, major responsibilities and roles of stakeholders shall be identified including the potential role of UNESCO/UN agencies as well as relevant international, regional and national bodies, in advancing the Science/Knowledge and SDG agenda in the Arab region.

The expanded set of the approved 17 SDGs and 169 targets cover a wide range of topics with a large diverse set of socioeconomic and environmental indicators. Taking into account the socioeconomic, environmental and geo-political complexity of the Arab region, Science and Knowledge have a major role in providing platforms for advancing the 2030 Agenda.  In particular, Science and knowledge can/should:

• Provide innovative knowledge-based scientific and technological solutions to pressing livelihood challenges in all spheres of and sectors (water, energy, agriculture, industry, health, environmental protection…inter-alia);
• Enable the marginalized sectors to actively engage in socioeconomic advancement
• Provide scientific basis for addressing social and economic challenges
• better understanding of the dynamics and linkages across sectors and scales
• enhancing collaboration (closing gap) between the policy and scientific communities and other stakeholders

The future of nations depends not only on their economic capital or natural resources, but also on the collective ability to understand, anticipate, and effectively act to address challenges through generating and deploying science and knowledge. 

• Provide innovative knowledge-based scientific and technological solutions to pressing livelihood challenges in all spheres and sectors (water, energy, agriculture, industry, health, environmental protection…inter-alia);
• Enable the marginalized sectors to actively engage in socioeconomic advancement

The issue of brain drain in developing countries will be the second focus of the session. This issue is of significant importance as the lack of opportunities in developing countries is causing an intellectual leakage of scientific talent from developing countries. Understanding the potential of strengthening science and technology for capacity building means that programmes can be implemented to create and improve opportunities. In this way the outflow of young capable minds will be reduced and growth of local research will be encouraged.