色库TV

By Burcu Tamga莽 M枚rel, Associate Programme Management Officer

Partnerships are at the heart of the UN Technology Bank鈥檚 work.  Our mission is simple yet ambitious鈥攅mpower the world鈥檚 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by harnessing the transformative power of science, technology, and innovation (STI) to drive sustainable development.

This July, that mission took center stage at the 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Over one intense and inspiring week, we engaged in high-level diplomacy, strategic dialogue, collaborative planning building bridges to strengthen STI ecosystems in LDCs.

I had the privilege of accompanying our Managing Director, Mr. Deodat Maharaj, to a series of impactful meetings with senior UN leaders, including  

• Ms. Rabab Fatima, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS
• Ms. Cristina Duarte, UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa
• Mr. Amandeep Singh Gill, UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies

Each conversation carried a common message: we cannot achieve the Sustainable Development Goals without closing, digital divides, fostering inclusive innovation, and making STI a driver of progress for the world鈥檚 most vulnerable countries

Our schedule was equally rich with bilateral meetings with bilateral meeting with the Permanent Representatives of Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Gambia, Ireland, Kiribati, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lao PDR, Malawi, Nepal, Rwanda, Sweden, Tuvalu, and T眉rkiye. These discussions focused on aligning national development priorities, strengthening STI policy frameworks, and identifying collaborative opportunities to accelerate progress toward the SDGs.

One of the week鈥檚 highlights was attending the official HLPF session titled 鈥淎ccelerating SDG Achievement in African Countries, LDCs, LLDCs, and Middle-Income Countries.鈥� The conversation was frank and forward-looking, centering on how to:

• Building resilient healthcare systems
• Advancing gender equality
• Expanding productive capacities
• Strengthening infrastructure and connectivity

The session also shone a spotlight on innovative financing, inclusive growth, and digital transformation all critical levers   for achieving the 2030 Agenda. For the Technology Bank, these priorities resonate deeply with our work to ensure STI is not just an enabler, but a catalyst for inclusive development

We also joined the IBSA Fund Side Event, co-hosted by the Permanent Mission of South Africa and the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC). The discussions reinforced the power of solidarity-driven, country-owned solutions through South-South cooperation -showing that when nations learn from and support one another, solutions can be scaled far beyond borders

Our visit to the UN Office for South-South Cooperation added another layer to the week鈥檚 outcomes. Together, we explored potential joint initiatives to expand access to STI resources, improve knowledge-sharing platforms, and strengthen partnerships that can accelerate the 2030 Agenda for LDCs. This year鈥檚 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, held under the auspices of ECOSOC, carried the theme: 鈥淎dvancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind.鈥�

For the UN Technology Bank, the HLPF 2025 was more than a platform 鈥� it was a reminder of why we do what we do. Every conversation, every handshake, and every shared idea brought us one step closer to ensuring that no country is left behind in the era of science, technology, and innovation.

As we move forward, the momentum built at HLPF 2025 will guide our partnerships, sharpen our strategies, and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the LDCs we serve.