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The Managing Director for United Nations Technology Bank For Least Developed Countries (UNTBLDC), Deodat Maharaj, paid a courtesy call on Ambassador Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba, and has expressed keen interest in Sierra Leone’s technological drive.
The United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries was established as a subsidiary organ of the UN General Assembly on 23 December 2016 by the United Nations Resolution 71/251 to support Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to strengthen their Science and Technology and Innovation (STI) capacities.
The Technology Bank currently serves 46 LDCs and former LDCs for up to five years after they graduate from the category.
In the Istanbul Programme of Action (IPoA) for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) for the Decade 2011–2020, adopted in 2011, the Least Developed Countries called for the establishment of a “Technology Bank and Science, Technology and Information supporting mechanism, dedicated to least developed countries which would help improve least developed countries’ scientific research and innovation base, promote networking among researchers and research institutions, help least developed countries access and utilize critical technologies, and draw together bilateral initiatives and support by multilateral institutions and the private sector, building on the existing international initiatives.
Mr. Deodat Maharaj thanked the leadership of the Mission in Turkiye, saying that the core mission of the Technology Bank is to support LDCs to strengthen their science, technology, and innovation (STI) capacities, including the capacity to identify, absorb, develop, integrate and scale up the deployment of technologies and innovations, including indigenous ones, as well as the capacity to foster transformational development.
“The Bank also supports agriculture to enhance more production, solar energy and digital literacy.
“We can also look at the area of capacity building for young graduates in AI Technology. We are looking at how we can work with the Sierra Leone government in the enhancement of climate technology”, Mr.Deodat Maharaj explained.
In a brief remark, Ambassador Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba thanked the visiting team, saying that he was excited to partner with the United Nations Technology Bank For Least Developed Countries, which he said were priority programs of President Julius Maada Bio, and the government of Sierra Leone.
“My team and I will do a follow up meeting with your office. Our government is very interested in technology in the agriculture sector for productive agricultural output; but even moreso, capacity building of the young population of the country will enhance the most needed change in agricultural productivity”, he noted.
