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COMMITTEE NAME: BRICS
AGENDA: Enhancing Innovation and Technology Cooperation
Introduction
Science, technology and innovation (STI) can be a driving force for economic
diversification and inclusive urban development as countries strive to rebuild their
economies from the COVID-19 pandemic.
That was the main message from the UN Commission on Science and Technology for
Development (CSTD) at a meeting it held between 17 and 19 November on the road to
its annual Spring session.
The CSTD, to which UNCTAD provides substantive support, offers member states a
multilateral platform to strengthen the science-policy interface locally and globally and
better coordinate STI-focused international cooperation.
The meeting brought together some 250 representatives from governments,
international organizations, the private sector and civil society. The outcomes of the
meeting will be considered by the 25th session of the CSTD, set to convene from 28
March to 1 April 2022.
The significance of engaging with BRICS countries in order to foster dialogue and
mutual knowledge sharing, capacity building, cross-incubation with a broad view to
advancing BRICS systems of innovation has always been of critical importance.
The first Meeting of the BRICS Ministers of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI)
was held in February 2014 at Cape Town, South Africa, with the aim of strengthening
cooperation in science, technology and innovation amongst the BRICS countries.
In pursuance of the directions laid out by the Leaders in the Fortaleza Declaration of
2014, the BRICS STI Ministers signed the landmark Memorandum of Understanding on
Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation during their 2nd meeting in March
2015 in Brazil. The MoU has provided the strategic framework for the development of
cooperation in priority areas such as the promotion of innovation and technology
transfer; food security, climate change and natural disaster preparedness and
mitigation, new and renewable energy, nanotechnology, ocean and polar sciences and
geospatial technologies and its applications.
A New BRICS STI Architecture was adopted by the STI Ministers in 2019 to keep pace
with the expanding agenda and scope of work under the BRICS STI umbrella.
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Four pillars have been identified, namely Research Collaboration, Innovation
Collaboration, Research Infrastructure and Sustainability to guide the work being carried
out under the BRICS STI track.
Under these pillars, 13 Working Groups have been created. These include thematic
groups: polar and ocean technology, astronomy, geospatial technology, new and
renewable energy, astronomy, materials, photonics, natural disasters, biotechnology
and biomedicine and ICT and High Power Computing; and operational groups: research
infrastructure, STIEP (Science, Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program),
Steering Committee and STI Funding WG.
Modern technologies are not only the source of economic growth but also the basis for
the realization of global prosperity. Consequently, many states are seeking to develop
science and technology through international cooperation. Currently, BRICS nations
focus on strengthening, expanding and deepening cooperation in science and
technology (S&T). In this article, we consider Science & Technology cooperation as the
direction of BRICS partnership, and trace the results of cooperation in this area among
the member countries of the association.
Since the first BRICS Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology and Innovation in
2014, the participating countries have discussed and start organizing cooperation in
areas of common interest and adopt several important documents that provide a legal
framework for their cooperation in science, technology and innovation (STI). The key
documents that formalize cooperation in science and technology are the Memorandum
of Understanding on Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation (the document
that has become the primary tool for developing BRICS cooperation in STI). The BRICS
STI Framework adopted by the Moscow Declaration of October 28, 2015, is the second
fundamental document after the Memorandum of Understanding. It covers a wide range
of issues as part of implementing the BRICS Science and Innovation Initiative and
proposals for key areas and programs of cooperation of the group.
Besides the Memorandum, the successful implementation of BRICS S&T initiatives is
carried out through implementing the commitments in the following documents, namely
the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership, the annual BRICS STI declarations that
highlight progress and outline areas for further development, regular meetings in this
area, and the 2019-2022 BRICS S&T and Innovation Work Plan.
In addition to these documents, the BRICS Russian Council for Science, Technology
and Innovation, which coordinated the activities of various bodies and organizations that
determine and implement state policy in international scientific and technological
cooperation within BRICS, as well as to implement R&D and innovation of the
association, are important mechanisms for regulating the science and technology field.
There are other BRICS research and innovation initiatives and mechanisms:
Technology Foresight and STI Policy, the BRICS Water Forum, the BRICS Young
Scientists Forum, the Meeting of Academies of Science, and others.
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Currently, the member countries continue to progress in the S&T area. For example, on
November 17, 2020, China announced the establishment of the BRICS Innovation Base
in Xiamen, Fujian Province. The members of the association built this base as an
important bridge and link for BRICS countries to deepen practical cooperation in the
wave of the new industrial revolution, and as an essential platform for China to promote
high-level openness and innovation. As a member of the Standing Committee of the
Fujian Provincial Party Committee and secretary of the Xiamen City Party Committee
noted, "Establishing the BRICS Innovation Base is a glorious mission and a great
responsibility entrusted to Xiamen by the Party Central Committee".
The BRICS STI cooperation, guided by the BRICS Vision to strengthen the BRICS
partnership for common development and advance cooperation, was seeded during the
3rd BRICS Summit at Sanya, China, on April 14, 2011. Reflecting the principle of
voluntary participation,equality, mutual benefit and reciprocity, availability of resources in
each BRICS country, People-centered and public -good driven STI supporting equitable
growth and sustainable development forms the basis of cooperation within the
framework of BRICS.
The governance mechanisms of BRICS STI cooperation include the Science,
Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting, Senior Officials Meetings (SOM),and the
Working Group level (WG) meetings. The last meetings of BRICS STI Ministers, BRICS
SOM and BRICS WG were held in China in 2017 whereas the next meetings are
scheduled to take place in South Africa in 2018
● Suggested Moderated Caucus Topics
1)Creation of the iBRICS Network to aid twinning of Technology Business Incubators
(TBIs) and Start-ups in themes of technology interventions for challenged and elderly.
2)Coordination of the existing large-scale national programs of the BRICS countries.
3) Strengthening the R&D Cooperation among BRICS Nations
4) To promote collaborative research and development among BRICS countries
5) Recognizing importance of innovation as a key driver for mid and long term economic
growth and global sustainable development
● Question a Resolution must answer
1) Exchange of information on policy and programme and promotion of innovation and
technology transfer
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2) Energy partnership and clean technologies, including green hydrogen
3) Facilitating Knowledge for Innovation and Technology Cooperation
4) BRICS should expand political and security cooperation to uphold peace and
tranquility.
● Bibliography
1)https://brics2021.gov.in/sti
2)http://infobrics.org/post/37698
3) https://aistic.gov.in/ASEAN/imrcBRICS
4) https://worldacademy.org/conference-page/ces-2023/
5)https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/zxxx_662805/202308/t20230823_11130928.html#:~:text
=We%20should%20focus%20on%20practical,the%20deployment%20of%20innovation
%20results.
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