New York: Pakistan has called for the elimination of “undue restrictions” on providing developing countries access to new and emerging technologies, crucial for addressing contemporary challenges.
“We emphasize the need to remove barriers to equitable and non-discriminatory access to scientific knowledge, equipment, materials, and technology, including its transfer to developing nations,” Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Pakistan’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations said, at the UN Security Council’s “Arria-Formula” meeting on ‘Unlocking the Potential of Science for Peace and Security.’
Switzerland hosted this informal consultation under the Arria formula, named after former Venezuelan UN ambassador Diego Arria, allowing the Council to hear from individuals in a confidential, informal setting.
“Without fair and equitable access to new and emerging technologies for developing countries, and the removal of undue restrictions, the Global South will fall even further behind in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” Ambassador Jadoon added.
Thomas Gurber, State Secretary of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, opened the meeting, highlighting the Council’s mandate to address global crises. He stressed the importance of a long-term perspective amidst increasing conflicts and complex challenges to peace and security.
Ambassador Jadoon acknowledged the transformative power of science in promoting peace and security. He pointed out the role of scientific knowledge and tools in anticipating threats more effectively, such as climate modeling, disease surveillance systems, and early warning mechanisms.
However, he also cautioned about the use of modern science and technologies in warfare, including the rise of AI-enabled autonomous weapons. He warned about the convergence of AI and information warfare, where the spread of disinformation through online platforms is being used for “hybrid warfare” to incite social discord and propagate discrimination, hate speech, stigmatization, racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia.
