EU Statement – UN STI Forum: Ministerial Session on Harnessing science and technology for innovative solutions

Dear co-chairs, excellencies, USG,I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. Today, I would like to highlight the European Union's commitment to harnessing science and technology for the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient, and innovative solutions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The European Union is firmly dedicated to the Agenda 2030, by rolling out the Global Gateway – our sustainable development strategy – and by integrating the SDGs into all its policies, proposals, and strategies. At the UN, notably through collaboration with the Inter-Agency Task Team on STI for the SDGs, the EU aims to embed these goals into locally tailored research and innovation agendas. The EU has therefore launched pilot programmes in several countries, notably in Africa, to test and refine tailored STI for SDGs roadmaps, promoting their effective implementation and adaptation. A prime example of our commitment is the EU’s Research Framework Programme, currently Horizon Europe, which allocates over 60% of its budget to sustainable development, encouraging international participation to foster innovative solutions that address global challenges. We also remain committed to the development of trustworthy AI – that is: AI-based innovations that are responsible and verifiable, respectful of human rights, based on ethical principles, and tagged to improving people’s lives. However, to ensure that science,...