The Joint Special Meeting will be held in conjunction with the 11th Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals.
This meeting will be convened in line with General Assembly resolution 80/147 and have a focus on advancing digital inclusion and youth entrepreneurship for sustainable development, reflecting a priority of the President of the Economic and Social Council. Thematic Focus: Challenges and Opportunities in Developing Countries in Relation to Science, Technology, and Innovation Youth Innovation in Action: Creating Enabling Environments for Youth-Led Entrepreneurship, Advancing STI Skills, and Leveraging Strategic Finance The meeting aims to: Examine the challenges that developing countries face in leveraging science, technology and innovation as drivers of sustainable development, with particular attention to barriers affecting youth agency and STI-driven entrepreneurship. Identify key policy, institutional, and financial enablers that support STI development in developing countries and, within that context, youth entrepreneurship in science, technology, and innovation sectors. Share good practices, evidence, and lessons learned from national and regional experiences. Promote multi-stakeholder partnerships among governments, the private sector, academia, and youth-focused and youth-led organizations. Amplify youth voices and highlight their role as partners and drivers of sustainable development and inclusive economic growth. The meeting is expected to contribute to: Enhanced understanding of developing countries' challenges and opportunities in harnessing STI, and how to promote youth entrepreneurship Identification of scalable and replicable approaches to strengthen inclusive innovation ecosystems in developing countries, including for youth. Strengthened collaboration and partnerships across sectors and stakeholders Policy-relevant recommendations to support youth-led innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital service exports. Increased visibility of youth innovators and entrepreneurs and their contributions to achieving the SDGs as agents of change.
