Abu-Ghazaleh Speaks at UNCSTD Twelfth Session

The financial crisis attack has been reasonably absorbed. We now face the much more serious economic crisis attack. The first is like a hurricane. The second is like an epidemic-Abu-Ghazaleh

GENEVA --- May 25, 2009--- Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, chairman and CEO of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org) tackled several global issues at the 12th session of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (UNCSTD) currently held in Geneva, May 25-29, 2009.

Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh spoke at the inauguration session along with HE Ambassador Juan Eduardo Eguiguren, chair of the CSTD, who delivered the opening remarks, Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Dr. Hamadoun Touré, secretary-general of ITU, Dr. Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, First Lady of the Dominican Republic, Mr. Jörg Frieden, assistant director-general of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

In his remarks, Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh tackled questions related to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), financial crisis, innovations in IT and telecom, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) vision 2025, in addition to Intellectual Property (IP), innovation and R & D as the major weapons of economic power and competitiveness.

“We don’t live in one world, the divide in more than one way is our major challenge,” Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh said.

He warned that the gap between the developed and the developing countries is growing rather than narrowing adding that “we need to develop different paradigms for the developed and developing countries and we should be courageous about it,” Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh stated.

According to Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh, Information Technology is moving faster than Telecom technology development.

“Industry needs to accelerate telecommunications technology development to catch up. I call on the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) leadership to take the lead on this and to get business in full gear,” he noted.

He called on governments and intergovernmental organizations to engage business as full and equal partners with equal responsibilities.

“Business is the major creator of knowledge and wealth and its role is crucial for all purposes. Thus, business should be seen as more than a subject or a tax payer for government,” he added.

Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh also discussed the global financial crisis branding it an epidemic.

“The financial crisis attack has been reasonably absorbed. We now face the much more serious economic crisis attack. The first is like a hurricane. The second is like an epidemic,” he said.

“The solution is not in avoiding protectionism, but is rather in a balance between liberalization and protectionism. Let us admit that this is what the developed countries are doing now,” he added.

Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh will be also taking part in tomorrow’s joint CSTD-ITU-GAID multistakeholders panel of discussion, a follow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).

Speaking at the same panel are HE Ambassador Eguiguren and Dr. Touré.

The 12th session of the Commission on Science and Technology will tackle development-oriented policies for socio-economic inclusive information society, infrastructure and an enabling environment, science, technology and engineering for innovation and capacity building in education and research and science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) reviews.

The opening ceremony was followed by two ministerial roundtables, one on science, technology and innovation, and another on the follow-up to WSIS outcomes.

The participants will also hear a presentation from the Chair of the United Nations Group on the Information Society (UNGIS), on progress made and obstacles encountered in meeting their commitments to the WSIS process and outcomes.

The Commission, established in 1992, provides the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) with high-level advice on relevant issues related to science and technology, including ICT, through analysis and appropriate policy recommendations or options in order to enable those organs to guide the future work of the United Nations, develop common policies and agree on appropriate actions.

In 2006, the Commission was mandated by ECOSOC to serve as the focal point in the system-wide follow-up to the implementation of the outcomes of the WSIS.
The Commission meets annually for a period of one week, in Geneva, Switzerland.