Science and technology intricately mesh together with society. You cannot see one without the other. However, transformational changes in science and technology do not always advance sustainable development and reduce inequality. More people have access to smartphones than clean water or clean sanitation in some countries. Artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies are growing, but so has the number of people living in hunger. 

In this episode, we speak with the co-chairs of the Science, Technology, and Innovation or STI Forum--Mr. Sergiy Kyslytsya, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations and Mr. Kennedy Godfrey Gastorn, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Tanzania to the United Nations. They both shared their insights on advancing science and technology achievements while also addressing global challenges of inequality, digital divide, inclusion, climate change, to name a few issues, through collaboration among different actors in society. We need novel ways to mitigate emerging risks to scientific research and we also need to further the collaboration among scientists, researchers, and policymakers in an ongoing dialogue in networks of trust and transparency to address the global challenges. 

The STI Forum of the United Nations provides this space for scientific cooperation and collaboration. It is also an important space for reflections on global development problems and discussions on how science, technology, and innovation can help contribute to approaches and solutions to achieve the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. To know more and to register for the upcoming STI Forum, please go to https://sdgs.un.org/tfm/STIForum2022. 

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