STATEMENT BY
THE HONOURABLE DATO’ SERI DIRAJA DR. ZAMBRY ABD KADIR
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF MALAYSIA
GENERAL DEBATE OF THE G77+CHINA SUMMIT
ON THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGES: THE ROLE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION”
15 - 16 SEPTEMBER 2023
HAVANA, CUBA
His Excellency Mr. Bruno Rodriguez Parilla (Pa-ri-ya),
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba;
Excellencies;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
First and foremost, I wish to join others in thanking the Cuban Government for convening today’s Summit in this historic city of Havana.
2. Allow me also to convey the warm greetings and best wishes from my Prime Minister, the Honorable Anwar Ibrahim.
Mr. Chairman,
3. On behalf of the people and Government of Malaysia, I wish to express our profound sorrow and condolences to the people of Morocco and Libya for the devastating tragedies that have resulted in a great loss of life and damage. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims in this difficult time.
4. As one of the Group’s founding members, Malaysia takes great pride in the progress made by the G77+China on issues of importance to the developing countries. However, despite our many enduring pursuits, the divide and disparity between the developing and the developed world, continue to widen.
5. One glaring reality is the regress in the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is obvious that we are still left behind. There is a need for stronger commitment and collective responsibility between the Global South and the North, if we are to ensure that no one is left behind. We need that commitment and responsibility to bridge the gap of our priorities in accelerating the 2030 Agenda.
Mr. Chairman,
6. Developing nations are often accused of not being ambitious enough on climate action. The truth is, we do not lack ambition; we simply lack the capacity. In the absence of equity, justice and necessary means, it is an uphill battle for developing countries to undertake greater climate action. Therefore, we need to strengthen the call for a balanced approach between development needs and climate action.
Mr. Chairman,
7. Malaysia reiterates its concerns on the growing disparities between developed and developing countries in scientific and technological capabilities. The international community, the UN, and the International Financial Institutions need to strengthen their support to the Global South in enhancing our science, technology, and innovation systems. Developed countries must do their part through technology transfer, technical assistance and capacity-building, to meet the needs and priorities of developing nations. Expectations must be met with equal support.
8. Malaysia also calls for efforts to narrow the digital divide between developed and developing countries. All nations deserve equal access to information, technology and the opportunities that arise, so that we benefit from the socio-economic potential of modern advancements. Developed countries should close the divide, by assisting developing countries in building their digital skills and capacity.
9. The International financial institutions must adapt to new realities. We must work together to undertake ambitious and bold reforms of the international financial architecture; to be more inclusive to developing countries that ultimately would give birth to a more effective global economic governance.
10. Having said that, we – the Global South – need also to be responsible to ourselves and to be accountable to our people. We must stay the course of pursuing the core values of nation-building. Blaming others for lack of support and indulging in self-pity over shortfalls, cannot serve us all, a better future. We seriously need to debunk the stereotypes of developing countries, as we owe that to our people, our children and the future generations.
11. It is in this context and understanding that the Malaysian Government, under the stewardship of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, introduces the Madani Economy Framework. Madani Malaysia which means ‘Civil Malaysia’, practically promotes the universal core values of compassion, respect, trust, innovation, prosperity and sustainability. Madani warrants institutional reforms by rooting out corruptions; upholding human rights; adhering to the rules of law; good governance, and improving the health and education systems. Its ultimate goal is towards a civilised, highly skilled, inclusive and knowledge-based society.
Mr. Chairman,
12. Malaysia will continue to support our fellow developing countries or the Global South. Firstly, Malaysia reaffirms our commitment to the South-South Cooperation through the renewal of the International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation (ISTIC) in Kuala Lumpur. This Centre is under the auspices of UNESCO since 2008. To date, ISTIC-KL has significantly contributed to South-South Cooperation through over 30 STI Training Programmes with strategic partners; benefiting more than 1,000 participants from nearly 100 countries.
13. Secondly, Malaysia remains dedicated to fostering the culture of Open Science which is, making scientific research and data accessible to all. The Open Science concept practically accelerates the pace of discovery; promotes innovation; and addresses the challenges facing our societies. In this context, we recently launched the Malaysia Open Science Platform (MOSP) in May 2023.
14. Thirdly, Malaysia will continue to promote and increase the participation of developing countries in the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP), where we share our developmental experiences and expertise. Since its inception in 1980, MTCP has benefited more than 37,000 participants from 144 recipient countries. Up till today, MTCP remains a strong manifestation of Malaysia’s commitment to South-South Cooperation.
Mr. Chairman,
15. It is our earnest hope that developing countries would demonstrate unity, resilience and solidarity to continue advocating our common interest. We have to be bold, push boundaries and punch above our weight, in order to effect change. We talk less and do more, and we prove our worth as a progressive developing nation, with our actions.
16. Our collective voice remains our strength and leverage. Therefore, Malaysia stands ready to work closely with this G77 and its Members in our common pursuit of sustainable economic development, peace and prosperity.
With that, I thank you all for listening.
