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FROM MEXICO, OAS ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL URGES GREATER EMPHASIS ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Appealing to the President of the United States of México, Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, and the other present political leaders of the Americas to give science and technology “the most relevant possible place in their countries’ strategic development policy,” Organization of American States’ (OAS) Assistant Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin argued today at the 2nd Science and Technology Hemispheric ministers’ meeting in Mexico City, for governments to create synergies and strategic partnerships.

The Mexican President inaugurated the Second Meeting of Ministers and High-Level Authorities on Science and Technology, where Ambassador Ramdin called for more financial and human resources to be allocated to science, technology and innovation. It would help transform the countries into knowledge-based societies that can “apply cutting-edge technology and research and become effective in a competitive global environment,” the OAS official told the ministers and top government officials.

As well, he welcomed the meeting’s strong focus on the practical role that science, technology, engineering and innovation can play in improving the life of the Hemisphere’s citizens. He lauded the focus on social issues of inclusion, poverty and hunger, on development conditions related to energy, biodiversity as well as on important pre-conditions for social and economic progress such as human capacity building and a safe environment.

At the inauguration, with the presence too of the Vice President of Nicaragua Jaime Morales Carazo, the gathering of ministers and top officials responsible for science and technology, held under the auspices of the OAS Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI), also heard from Mexico’s Secretary for External Relations, Patricia Espinosa Cantellano, and the Director General of Mexico’s National Council on Science and Technology, Juan Carlos Romero Hicks.

Governments alone cannot be the only ones responsible for this holistic approach to development, said Ambassador Ramdin, who underscored the need for solid partnerships involving government, the private sector and educational and research institutions, among others. He told the conference that more resources must be invested in promoting education in mathematics and science early on in the curricula, and that better hemispheric coordination is needed, as are hemispheric partnerships to optimize the use of resources. “The OAS is a natural platform to advance the hemispheric agenda in this regard,” Ramdin offered, pledging that the Organization “stands ready to play that role.”, to complement and enhance subregional efforts already on the way.

Declaring that “the current technology gap and the differences in socio-economic development among the countries in this hemisphere need to be addressed,” Ambassador Ramdin insisted that “the pivotal importance of the functional and strategic relationship between science and technology and the creation of prosperity in our societies cannot be understated.” He added: “Science, technology, engineering and innovation are vital for preserving our natural resources which too often have been overexploited.” The Assistant Secretary General noted that the current food and energy crises highlight the need for continued support of research and development in critical strategic fields such as renewable energies and biotechnology.

The Mexico City ministerial is part of preparations for the next Summit of the Americas, to be held next April in Trinidad and Tobago, Ambassador Ramdin said. He noted how the challenges the Member States now face, coupled with “the strategic importance of science, technology, engineering and innovation in all areas of development”, have made this Second Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities on Science and Technology, not only timely but also essential.

President Calderón used the meeting as backdrop for the prestigious Mexico Prize in Science and Technology, presenting the 2007 Prize to Dr. Ramón Latorre de la Cruz, who spoke as well. Ambassador Ramdin, meanwhile, lauded the Mexican Government, on the 18 year-old prize as worthy of being replicated throughout the Hemisphere, to recognize the excellent work of scientists and also “to motivate and encourage new lines of research in innovative fields.”

Assistant Secretary General Ramdin offered his and Secretary General José Miguel Insulza’s condolences to the people and government of Mexico over the loss of life as well as property damage inflicted by recent floods in the country’s southern states.

Reference: E-412/08