Scientific progress is necessary to advance (…)

Mr. President,

I thank Switzerland for organizing this meeting on the potential of science to maintain peace and security.

I also thank Ms. Fore, Lt. Gen. Subramanian, and Dr. Langenbach for their presentations.

From the climate emergency to biodiversity loss to food insecurity, the challenges facing our world are many and require an approach that transcends traditional boundaries. Science can provide us with the necessary means to confront these challenges through tools to enhance knowledge to guide public policies, and thus contribute to creating the conditions for achieving lasting peace and security.

I will emphasize three points.

First and foremost, scientific progress is essential to advance sustainable and human development: France holds this conviction here at the United Nations.

I am thinking about the means that science offers to combat the consequences of climate change. That is why we are committed to establishing the International Decade of Science, Glaciers and Poles for 2025-2035 which aims to strengthen international cooperation in favor of the conservation of glacial and polar biodiversity. France is also working to mobilize to align policy and research, so that they both move in the same direction: sustainable development and the ability of countries to confront the threats they all face. This is the case of the CREWS initiative, which aims to improve early warning systems for climate risks in countries most vulnerable to disasters and to which France has doubled its contribution to 8 million euros in 2023. By using science, development and with new technologies, it is possible to help reduce the impact of disasters. Hence, the factors that contribute to exacerbating the drivers of conflict.

Second, science is also a valuable tool for creating long-term conditions for international peace and security.

The Secretary-General's new peace agenda highlights the importance of promoting digital transformation and innovation by UN peace and security entities. France fully supports it, as demonstrated by its contributions to the development of efforts in this area of ​​the Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support.

Science and technology also maintain a close relationship with justice, because, on the ground, they contribute to gathering evidence in the event of mass atrocities. France then provided tangible support to the efforts of the Ukrainian authorities and the International Criminal Court by sending criminal investigation experts from the National Gendarmerie.

Mr. President,

The right of all individuals to benefit from scientific progress and its applications is guaranteed by the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Realizing this right requires the development of science and its applications that respect human rights and the precautionary principle. The scientific community itself must be protected and supported. Access to quality education and academic freedom are essential for technical and scientific progress. France is committed to this within the framework of strong science diplomacy, as evidenced by the work of the Institute for Research for Development (IRD), a French organization whose model is based on scientific partnerships with countries of the South, in order to serve the achievement of its goals, the Sustainable Development Goals.

I thank you.