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President Cyril Ramaphosa urged participants at the World Science Forum to explore ways to use science in restoring human dignity, reducing inequality and poverty.
He delivered a keynote address at the opening session of the World Science Forum (WSF) in Cape Town on Tuesday.
“Today more than ever, science is called upon to assist humanity in responding to the key challenges of our time, including disease, climate change and food insecurity,” Ramaphosa said.
President Cyril Ramaphosaand Minister Dr Blade Nzimande meeting and greeting exhibitors at their various stalls as they entered Exhibition hall 2, World Science Forum opening session
Delegates must ensure that the Forum will not only be a platform for vibrant discussion, but will also lead to concrete actions harnessing science as an instrument for social justice, he added.
The theme for the Forum is Science for Social Justice. He told delegates that inequality within and between countries is neither just nor sustainable.
For the event to be successful, he said it must inspire concerted global action for science to challenge and address inequality, injustice, poverty, environmental destruction and marginalisation.
“By hosting this Forum, South Africa is demonstrating its strong commitment to international cooperation in science. Science progresses when nations work together,” Ramaphosa said.
It is the first World Science Forum taking place in Africa, it is hoped that it will contribute to advancing the African agenda for science, affirming the crucial contributions Africa has to make in enriching global science.
Access to significant collective resources, including cooperation instruments, which can be mobilised for investment in science for social justice.
He said there is a need for collective will and determination to ensure science makes a difference by informing policy that will create a more just and equal world.
Ramaphosa urged delegates to critically consider what role science should play in protecting and enhancing human dignity and in fighting poverty, unemployment and inequality.
Ramaphosa cited the inequality in access to vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of a gross violation of human rights and contributed to further loss of life.
The global scientific community demonstrated the value of cooperation in responding with unprecedented urgency to produce COVID-19 vaccines.
Yet, the benefits of that extraordinary scientific work did not benefit all of humanity equally.
This experience, Ramaphosa said, has informed South Africa’s development of a national vaccine manufacturing programme, which includes a partnership with the World Health Organisation through hosting the mRNA technology transfer hub in Cape Town.
-INSIDE EDUCATION