“Science for Peace and Development”

Ms. Suedi
Ladies and Gentlemen
Dear Friends:

On behalf of Director-General Tokayev, I would like to welcome you all to the Palais des Nations for the opening of your Geneva International Model United Nations (GIMUN) Annual Conference.

The United Nations Office at Geneva enjoys close cooperation with GIMUN and we are therefore pleased to have you back in the Palais once again! Your very interesting theme this year, ‘Science for peace and development’ is not only quite relevant to the work of the United Nations here in Geneva, but to that of the UN system as a whole.

As the many varied topics of your working groups show, the word ‘science’ means many things to many people. From the Internet to outer space to bio-engineering, it is clear that science and technology have an important role to play in meeting our global challenges. Without science, there can be little progress on one of the key challenge of our time - sustainable development.

Scientific evidence continues to show us that the world is increasingly at risk from interlinked social, environmental and economic factors. How do we safeguard Earth’s natural processes to ensure the well-being of humankind while eradicating poverty, reducing conflict, protecting human rights and supporting human and ecosystem health? This task sounds, and is, daunting.

We live in a world of contradictions. There is plenty of food in the world and yet one billion people go hungry. Over 785 million people have no access to clean drinking water and 2.3 billion lack sanitation. We have experienced advances in medicine, allowing people to live longer than at any period in a history, but 3,000 children die every day from preventable causes. The number of mobile subscriptions will reach 7 billion this year – that is one for each person on the planet. But despite this, some 4.5 billion people – predominantly in the developing world – are still not online.

However, the pursuit of knowledge and understanding through science – the natural sciences, the social sciences, and yes, technology as well - will arm us to find solutions to today’s challenges. In an increasingly connected world, this is true for both developed and developing countries.

Science, responding to the need to develop greener societies, underpins economic growth and employment, assists us in managing the environment, and equips us with the knowledge to ensure equitable social progress and empowerment.

But while the solutions to addressing sustainable development are rooted in science, research and knowledge alone are insufficient. A strong inter-relationship between science, society and national, regional and international policies is critical for global sustainability and social transformation. This can only be achieved through the sustained collaboration of the wider international community, including governments at all levels, international organizations, civil society, the scientific community and the private sector.

The UN Secretary-General often says that “The world is over-armed and peace is under-funded”. Indeed, global military expenditure has reached 1.7 trillion dollars – resources that could be channelled towards the development and the protection of our planet. It is clear that research, knowledge and new technologies have an increasingly important role to play in achieving a peaceful and secure world. And this should be supported by governments, the academic and civil society communities and international organizations alike, especially when it comes to the allocation and prioritization of resources.

Let me give you one concrete example of how science can contribute to the reduction of conflict – water resource management. I am mentioning it not only because it is a good example, but also because 2013 is the International Year of Water Cooperation and next week is World Water Day!

International cooperation on water-related issues far outweighs conflict. But despite this fact, the lack of clean fresh water or the competition over access to water resources presents a challenge for a number of countries, especially in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. It has occasionally led to intense internal political instability that resulted in violence. At the national and local levels, it is not the lack of water that leads to conflict but the way it is governed and managed. Many countries need stronger policies to regulate water use and enable equitable and sustainable management. It is through scientific research and technology that comprehensive management plans are developed and implemented, leading to better resource management.

Let me touch briefly on two areas of the UN’s work which I mentioned earlier, and which I believe are of direct interest to you - employment and supporting the empowerment of young people and women around the world.

You are the largest generation of youth ever. At the same time, it is projected that by 2050 the number of people over the age of 60 will reach two billion. These two realities, with all of their implications, have to be tackled simultaneously.

The current level of youth unemployment – 40% globally, is very alarming and there is no indication that the situation is improving. According to the International Labour Organization, based here in Geneva, young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults. I am sure that the experience of either you or someone you know supports this statistic.

To tackle these issues, the UN – and the ILO in particular - provides assistance to countries in developing coherent and coordinated ways to address youth employment. This integrated approach combines macro-economic policies and targeted measures which address labour demand and supply, as well as the quantity and quality of employment. This could be anything from running a youth entrepreneurship facility in Tanzania to providing better access to employment, self-employment and training opportunities in Lebanon.

Second, the importance of empowering young people and women cannot be understated. We have seen what they – what you – can do with technology, with education and knowledge and with a passion for change. Overall, on a global level, it is clear that we have made some progress. There are today more women in government, more boys and girls with access to education at every level, a greater involvement of women in the private sector – these are all important steps forward. Of course, challenges do remain. Violence, discrimination in social, economic and professional lives, lack of prioritization of women and youth issues in policymaking – these and other issues continue to be stumbling blocks to true equality. Most importantly, these will require sustained, focused, personal work by the United Nations and by everyone in this room.

There is always more that we as the international community can do to advance these issues. And that is why I truly welcome your presence at the United Nations today. It shows your commitment to working with us to find solutions for the problems that affect us all. And I hope that it also shows your support for the United Nations itself. Your continued involvement – through discussion, advocacy and mobilization – is critical to our continuous progress and development.

I hope you enjoy your exchanges here. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon.

Thank you very much.