Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries

Enhancing STI in Africa through the Technology Bank for the LDCs

Towards a Solution

The Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020 (Istanbul Programme of Action or IPOA) 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.” The full operationalization of the Technology Bank for the LDCs was part of target 17.8 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

In order to help respond to some of the challenges highlighted above, the LDCs advocated for the establishment of a multilateral institution specifically geared to address their needs in the area of STI. In the 2011 IPoA, the international community underscored the critical role played by STI as a vehicle for structural transformation and called for the establishment of a technology bank dedicated to LDCs. 

The Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) was mandated to operationalize the Technology Bank, which included setting up its initial structures, budget and staff. The UN Technology Bank became operational in 2018 and serves the 46 least developed countries (LDCs) and former least developed countries for up to five years after their graduation from the category. Headquartered in Gebze, Turkey, the UN Technology Bank actively engages with national, regional and international partners to deliver its programme and projects which strengthen science, technology and innovation capacity in the least developed countries. The UN Technology Bank supports national and regional technological efforts, reinforces partnerships across sectors and helps nations identify and use appropriate technologies to transform their economies and improve livelihoods. Five specific objectives include:

1. To strengthen STI capacity in LDCs, including the capacity to identify, absorb, develop, integrate and scale up the deployment of technologies and innovations, as well as the capacity to address and manage intellectual property rights issues;
2. To promote the development and implementation of national and regional STI initiatives;
3. To strengthen partnerships among STI-related public entities and with the private sector;
4. To promote cooperation among all stakeholders involved in STI, including within and between LDCs, as well as other countries; and
5. To promote and facilitate the identification and utilization of and access to appropriate technologies by the LDCs, as well as their transfer to the LDCs.

The Technology Bank is well-placed to play an important role in the provision of scientific and technical knowledge, a (quasi) public good whose current under-provision has momentous implications for the sustainable development both of the LDCs and at the global level. Indeed, the LDCs’ sustainable development depends in good measure on their ability to acquire scientific and technical knowledge and apply it to solve the many challenges they face. 

Within 18 months of its operationalization, the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic starkly reinforced the relevance of the Technology Bank and highlighted the urgency of its work to continuously enhance science, technology and innovation capacity in the least developed countries. Meanwhile, the Technology Bank demonstrated its own operational resilience, not only by continuing to build new partnerships but also by demonstrating its responsiveness to the pandemic with exploratory and bespoke initiatives. United Nations agencies and many partners have continued to provide critical support to the Technology Bank to deliver on its mandate throughout the pandemic.

The Technology Bank responded to the pandemic in partnership with the World Health Organization, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) by establishing the Technology Access Partnership. The Partnership provided a unique opportunity to test mechanisms for future technology transfer programmes, a core pillar of the future work of the Technology Bank. The rapidly changing dynamics of both the pandemic and the world’s response demonstrated that the Technology Bank could react quickly to initiate processes, such as technology transfer and supply chain strengthening, which assisted with the production of personal protective equipment and provide