The Civil Society is in a crucial position in using Science, Technology and Innovation to achieve sustainable and resilient COVID-19 recovery and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in achieving the global/UN commitment to leave no one behind. Contemporary and future global economies and development systems need to be knowledge-driven and anchored around Science, Technology and Innovation including intellectual properties, ICT (information and communications technology), health/COVID-19, and energy/climate, among others. These can never be achieved if civil society continues to be largely left out of the efforts to achieve knowledge-based and STI-driven economies especially in Africa and developing countries (low income and middle income). The world needs to deliberately harness the abundant (potential) STI competencies and development resources within the civil society and our communities. It’s important to recognize and engage the civil society organizations [CSOs] and communities as critical partners in creating demand and accountability for STI research and knowledge generation, depository, dissemination and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). These capacity and engagement are needed at all levels of society and governance in order to ‘build back better’ and achieve the Agenda 2030 SDGs during and beyond COVID-19, towards achieving Agenda 2063.
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