ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April th Meeting of ESCWA-ESTIC ESCWA TECHNOLOGY CENTRE DETAILED ASSESSMENT OF REGIONAL NEEDS & PRIORITIES AND IDENTIFICATION OF IMPLEMENTATION MECHANISMS H.H. Kouyoumjian ICTD - ESCWA

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April HISTORICAL  ESCWA 23 rd ministerial session: “Decided to prepare for the establishment of ESCWA TC” A Pre-feasibility study on the Establishment of the ESCWA Technology Centre for Development

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April HISTORICAL  ESCWA 24 th ministerial session: “approved, in principle, the establishment of the ESCWA TC” Detailed Assessment of Regional Needs and Priorities and Identification of Implementation Mechanisms

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April Why this decision ?  Due to collective realization that, although major advances have been marked in fields like education and health, the ESCWA Region was lagging behind newly industrialized countries

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ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April HSP in OECD countries % 1.7 m 2.0 m 4.0 m

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April The Challange  CONVERTING KNOWLEDGE EMBODIED IN HUMAN CAPITAL INTO SOCIO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April THIS IS BEST DONE BY:  Mobilizing and/or transforming available capabilities and resources  Techno-acquisition becomes integral part of national and regional economy  A better knowledge of the market place

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April 20089

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April How is the local TECH market ?  Manpower: lacking in quality and availability  Technology-free transfers result in employment deficit  Available core activities not outsourced  Value added per worker wanting  Systemic issues that need to be addressed  Resource based and not much value added to exports

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April What are major regional needs ? Job generation Eradication of poverty and Socio-economic development Acquisition of scientific & technological capabilities associated with industrial Development programmes The benchmarking of STI progress through agreed upon set of indicators

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April What are major regional needs ?  Con’t Create linkages between supply and demand Identify priorities & diffuse best practices Facilitate agricultural and industrial growth and competitiveness Improve management of water and resources and the environment

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April ESCWA TECHNOLOGY CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT Mission  TO ASSIST MEMBER COUNTRIES AND THEIR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ORGNIZATIONS TO ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY TOOLS AND CAPABILITIES TO ACCELERATE SOCIO- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO ATTAIN TECHNOLOGICAL PARITY WITH OTHER NATIONS AND REGIONS

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April OBJECTIVES OF ESCWA TC  To contribute to the strengthening of national STI systems  To develop capabilities in problem solving and policy formulation  To foster synergy and complementarity at the regional level in the application of technology  To support the attainment of MDGs

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April How will this be done !!! By addressing the following major issues: 1.Identification of systematic issues that obstruct national and regional development 2.Providing insight and assistance to EMCs on effective mechanisms of technology acquisition and accumulation

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April Con’t. 3.Making available through out-sourcing the considerable technological capabilities sequestered in existing national industries 4.Proposing mechanisms for a more effective utilization of national infrastructures and the massive human capital 5.Providing assistance in strengthening national STI policies and disseminating best practice

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April Con’t. 6.Facilitating access to information at low cost 7.Providing assistance to EMCs in achieving the MDGs

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April TO TAKE OFF: a 4-track approach 1.Information services 2.Systemic issues 3.The regional technology market 4.Self-organized criticality

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April TRACK 1: Information services Response to requests On-line availability of info Support of STI observatories Developed portal

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April TRACK 2: Systemic issues Elimination of structural obstacles Securing missing capabilities Increasing labour productivity Introducing skill certification Promoting outsourcing Acquiring industry related services

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April Trade in services / GDP

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April Agricultural productivity  Saudi Arabia: 6-fold increase over the past 10 years  All other Arab countries: 1.2–1.6 fold Value added per farmer is 5% of farmers in industrialized world

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April TRACK 3: Regional technology market Fostering cooperation Acquiring capabilities for competition Undertaking forward and backward linkages Acquiring capacity to innovate in process and design Establishing foundations for knowledge based economy

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April TRACK 4: Self-organized criticality Mobilize human resources Catalyzes complementarity Promote Internet based networking

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April DOMAINS OF ATTENTION Agriculture Water Construction industry Industrial technologies Energy ICT New materials Etc…

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April Proposed structure

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April BUDGET in USD  Annual operations, Personnel, services  Set-up costs

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April A PARTNERSHIP UN-ESCWA TECHNOLOGY CENTRE PRODUCTIVE SECTORS CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE A VIABLE CORE

ESTIC 4Bahrain, 1-2 April