For the first time, Bogota will host the event, which will be attended by more than 33 science ministers from the region to define a roadmap for transformation to face common problems, according to Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Yesenia Olaya.

The official noted that the meeting will be a great opportunity to strengthen international scientific cooperation and motivate young people to see science as a tool to create tools to generate radical changes in the country.

She added that the visit of high-level scientific authorities to discuss and define a scientific strategy for transformation in Latin America will make it possible to face shared challenges such as the climate crisis, the production of vaccines and the generation of knowledge to reduce inequalities and social gaps.

The minister also praised the work done in this field by the Colombian Government, which not only prioritizes the construction of a national scientific agenda, but also an international one.

“President Gustavo Petro has positioned in a geopolitical context the great scientific transformations required by the world to face the climate crisis, the generation of non-carbon economies, the recovery of productive sectors and the construction of other alternative development models,” she remarked. The Conference is a subsidiary body of ECLAC and is a forum for political and technical dialogue that brings together high authorities responsible for science, technology and innovation policies to coordinate actions and share knowledge with a view to improving the quality and effectiveness of public policies in these areas.

At the meeting, participants will discuss the work for the next two years, which will focus on science, technology and innovation (STI) for productive development.

jg/arm/mem/if