Ambassador Eviatar Manor
Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations Office and Specialized Institutions - Geneva

Mr. President,

At the outset allow me to congratulate ECOSOC and you, Mr. President, on holding this meeting in Geneva. I wish you and all of us a fruitful and successful session.

Science, technology and innovation have been key drivers of development for centuries. They have vastly expanded the limits of human potential and enabled radical transformations in the quality of life enjoyed by millions of people.

In its short history, the State of Israel has proven the powers and benefits of science, technology and innovation with its innumerable contributions to fields such as agriculture and medicine. In just 65 years, Israel has evolved from a fledgling agricultural society to a hi-tech powerhouse, housing more start-up companies, producing more patents, and winning more Nobel prizes in science per capita than any other country in the world.

Mr. President,

Bill Gates said, and I quote: “Just as technology allows us to see the world's inequities, it can also help us address them.” End of quote. Without Science, Technology and Innovation there will not be prosperity, we will not achieve stability and consequently – no security.

Science and technology are inextricably linked to development. And culture, as a source of creativity and innovation, is a valuable resource to address the many challenges we face and to find appropriate solutions to local problems. Science, technology and innovation help provide adequate infrastructure, good health care, clean water and safe food – all fundamental steps on the road to achieving sustainable development.

As we discuss the importance of promoting science, technology and innovation, we must not neglect entrepreneurship – a crucial component of the Science, Technology and Innovation ecosystems we seek to create. It is the entrepreneurs who will pave the road to value creation and growth – and it is crucial that we support their businesses as they develop new products and processes that contribute to strengthening Science, Technology and Innovation. The policies we implement must take into account the entire lifecycle of technological progress – from research to development; from demonstration to market and from diffusion to consumption.

Mr. President,

Israeli visionaries, like all visionaries, use their innovations to help solve global challenges.

Recently, an Israeli company has developed a solar-powered water purification system. The low-cost, low-maintenance system converts dirty or salty water into drinkable water without the need for advanced infrastructure or external energy sources. This development will significantly improve the lives of millions around the world without clean drinking water.

Another recent Israeli breakthrough is a simple mobile-phone imaging system for diagnosing and monitoring malaria. Using an ordinary mobile phone camera with an inexpensive specialized lens, the system can detect malaria by imaging the eye or the skin to look for a pigment generated by the malaria parasite when it digests red blood cells. This will be a welcomed technology in Africa, a continent which accounts for 90% of malaria deaths worldwide.

Mr. President,
 
Experts from anywhere in the world can apply science, technology and innovation to help developing countries meet the Millennium Development Goals. But if long-term goals are to be achieved in a sustainable way, developing countries need to develop their own capabilities for science, technology, and innovation. We have heard this week some extremely interesting contributions on this issue by participants from the developing world.

Israel believes that for development cooperation to work, it is not enough to assist developing countries to acquire new technologies. We must focus on capacity-building, education and transfer of skills, in order to guarantee sustainable growth.

The “Agricultural Technology for Development” resolution, which Israel will bring to the Second Committee of the General Assembly for the fourth time this year, embodies this very important idea. By calling for the promotion of agricultural technologies and the transfer of knowledge and skills, this resolution enables sustainable agricultural productivity, an important step on the road to eradicating poverty and hunger.

The resolution also emphasizes the critical role women play in agriculture. Women are the backbone of farming in most of the world – they need to be on the front line of the technological changes that are needed for greater agricultural productivity.

We must take full advantage of the talents of women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and math. We can no longer allow women to be underrepresented in the fields of science, technology and innovation. The name of the game is empowerment of women – everywhere – and the sooner the better.

Israel has taken major steps over the past few decades, including the creation of the Council for the Advancement of Women in Science and Technology, a program that supports women as they advance in the fields of science, technology and innovation.

We also place women at the heart of our international development agenda. In October 2013, MASHAV –  Israel's International Agency for Development Cooperation – will co-host an international workshop with the United Nations Commission for Europe on empowering women through information and communication technologies. The workshop will provide women with the skills to use ICTs in business, and teach them how new technologies can influence small business management.

Solving the challenges of the 21st century will depend on tapping into the best ideas – the ideas of men and women everywhere in the world. If we fail to do so, we are not only undermining them, we are undermining any chance for a brighter future.

Thank you, Mr. President.