High Level Panel on “Engaging the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Community to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Kenya”

The National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology are organizing the 5th Kenya National Science Week from 16 – 20 May 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya. The event will comprise of exhibitions, robotics contest and a conference. The aim of the conference, which will bring together academia, researchers, scientists and practitioners from universities, research organisations, industry, civil society, and government, is to share the outcomes of research, technology and innovation activities in Kenya.

As part of the 5th Kenya National Science Week Conference, NACOSTI in partnership with the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), the Columbia Global Centre Africa and the African Technology Center (ACTS) will convene a High Level Panel on ‘“Engaging the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Community in the implementation the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Kenya”. The aim of the panel discussion will be to highlight the role of and the support that the STI community can offer to the government and other stakeholders in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a set of 17 goals and 169 targets adopted on 25th September 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly during the United Nations Summit for the Adoption of Post-2015 development agenda to stimulate action in areas of critical importance to humanity and the planet from 2015 to 2030. The SDGs are integrated and indivisible and balance on the three dimensions of sustainable development - the economic, social and environmental – and are hinged on revitalized global partnerships among governments, the business and industry and civil society. Although the SDGs are universal, their implementation is mainly at the national level with leadership offered by the national governments. The government of Kenya has the primary responsibility of aligning the national development agenda of Vision 2030 to the SDGs and to mobilize resources and capacities towards the implementation of the SDGs in Kenya.