Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the world must always remember that cooperation is the compass and most realistic path towards maximising the opportunities and resolving challenges before people.
He spoke to world leaders at the ongoing G77+China Leaders’ Summit at the Palace Convention Havana, Cuba where he emphasised the need to be focused on leveraging cooperation or partnership for finding realistic solutions to global challenges.
“We must not allow geopolitical tensions in any corner of the world to deter us from forging a collective and mutually advantageous path forward – a roadmap of shared prosperity and progress,” he advised.
The vice president expressed Nigeria’s commitment to toe the path of partnership with member-states of the G77+China towards addressing global challenges.
He said; “Allow me to reiterate Nigeria’s commitment to partnering with our fellow member nations of the G77 and China.”
“We shall champion initiatives that harness the potential of science, technology, and innovation to confront economic challenges, particularly within the global south.”
Speaking to the theme : “Current Development Challenges: The Role of Science, Technology and Innovation” the vice president underscored the prominent role which science, technology and innovation have always played in resolving challenges from the past to the present.
Delivering his speech titled: “From Pandemic to Paradigm Shift: Nigeria’s Road to Reinvention” Shettima said; “Throughout history, science and technology have shaped the course of nations. The phases of the Industrial Revolution, from the first to the fourth, and from mechanisation to automation, have determined the prosperity of those nations.”
The vice president told his audience that Nigeria was contributing its own share in leveraging science, technology and innovation to resolving challenges such as Covid-19 and the climate crisis.
He said Nigeria understands that the key to advancing innovation in science and technology lies in fostering a vibrant knowledge economy and facilitating the unrestricted exchange of ideas.