The eighth annual Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs (STI Forum) will be held from 3 to 4 May 2023. The Forum will be convened by the President of ECOSOC Her Excellency Lachezara Stoeva who has appointed two co-chairs – H.E. Ms. Mathu Joyini, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations and H.E. Mr. Thomas Woodroffe, United Kingdom Ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council. As per its mandate, the Forum will be organized by the UN interagency task team on STI for the SDGs (IATT), convened by UN-DESA and UNCTAD, and the 10-Member Group of high-level representatives appointed by the Secretary General.

In line with recent mandates and as in previous years, the STI Forum will facilitate discussions on science, technology and innovation cooperation in support of the SDGs. In addition to providing the mandated inputs for the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development to be held from 10 to 19 July 2023, the Forum will also take a broader look at the contribution of STI to the achievement of all the SDGs in recognition of the September mid-term review of SDG progress.

Accordingly, the theme for the STI Forum 2023 is: “Science, technology and innovation for accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels”.