The Organization of American States (OAS) has adopted the Declaration of Jamaica: “Harnessing the Power of Transformative Science and Technologies to Drive our Communities Forward” at its recently concluded sixth Meeting of Ministers and High Authorities on Science and Technology in Kingston.

The Declaration of Jamaica represents a framework to advance result-oriented cooperation within the Americas.

Included in the framework is a prescription on science, technology and innovation in the Americas for the 2022-2024 period.

The declaration reflects member states’ commitment to “accelerate the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, there is a commitment to “reduce the widening technological and social gaps, and pursue a sustainable, green, resilient and equitable future.”

The document also made an urgent call to deepen regional collaboration and cooperation to ensure connectivity for all in the Americas. Such a move would close the widening technological and social gaps exacerbated by the pandemic. 

This would be done specifically with a focus on ensuring the inclusion of youth, women, rural, remote and indigenous communities as well as populations in vulnerable situations.

OAS Youth Academy and centres of excellence launched

At their two-day meeting, the science and technology ministers of the Americas also launched the OAS Youth Academy, a platform for training and certification to prepare young people for the jobs of the future. Another key outcome of the ministerial was the announcement of the first two centres of Excellence on Technology Foresight.

Additionally, a centre on excellence on Blockchain in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico; and a centre on Robotics and Artificial intelligence, hosted at Universidad Simon Bolivar in Barranquilla, Colombia were launched. As part of the OAS Network of Prospect Americas, these centres will promote cooperation in research.

This is in addition to engaging governments, the private sector and the scientific community of the OAS member states in which the centres will identify and map future trends and technological developments plus providing insights and inputs for the formulation of public policies.

The science and technology ministers and officials also looked at readiness for industry 4.0, technology foresight as input for policy decisions, active participation by micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises in the global economy through science, technology and innovation, and effective public-private-academia collaboration to enhance competitiveness.

COVID has accelerated digitisation

Highlighting the relevance and contribution of this initiative, the OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro, noted that “while COVID has accelerated the digitisation process of the economy, it has also worsened inequalities and widened existing gaps.”

“Many have been left out, with no or little access to connectivity and the skills needed to benefit from the digital economy. We are looking forward to working with member states to make the Youth Academy on Transformative Technologies a cornerstone of COVID recovery,” he argued further.

The OAS Executive Secretary for Integral Development, Kim Osborne touted the concrete results of the meeting.

According to her, “We are looking forward to working with member states to train 10,000 youth by 2024 through the Youth Academy. If one lesson is clear from the COVID-19 experience, it is the need to support those most affected by the pandemic. Including students in lower socioeconomic status, women, minorities, and less-skilled workers.”

In his address, Prime Minister Andrew Holness charged that the region’s efforts “must focus on equipping our young people with the necessary skills to harness the power of transformative science and technology to collaboratively propel our communities forward.”

He also advocated for accelerated investments in the markets of the Americas so that member countries of the OAS can get our fair share of the new digital economy jobs.

 “We must accelerate our investments in the markets and jobs of tomorrow,” was the charge given by Holness to Government Ministers in attendance. Meanwhile, Jamaican Minister of Science, Energy and Technology Daryl Vaz, presided as chairman of the two-day high-level meeting.

He applauded the OAS initiative, commenting that “science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship are crucial to bridging the digital divide and as a priority, should promote the inclusion of women and girls, rural and indigenous communities, and other populations in vulnerable situations.”