PAMUN XIII RESEARCH REPORT—QUESTION OF TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
IN LESS ECONOMICALLY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
I.
Introduction of Topic
Fortune magazine senior editor David Kirkpatrick writes, “The most important trend in
technology is how it is boosting economic development around the world…. The simultaneous
rise of the internet and use of cell phones worldwide is making information and communications
available to a huge portion of humanity that has up to now been excluded from the global
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economy.”
Many of the less economically developed countries (LEDCs) in the world today suffer
from poverty-related issues, most of which have risen from a poor economy. These countries are
often unable to feed their people, provide proper healthcare and sanitation, or even provide
education to children. On top of these issues, the lack of infrastructure and jobs further damages
the market and ultimately causes more economical issues. How might the United Nations
approach such a wide range of problems with such a simple solution? The answer lies in
technology.
With the proper technology, we may provide solutions to many of the problems above,
and at little cost. But, in many LEDCs, useful technology just isn’t in place. Because the more
economically developed countries (MEDCs) had a head start in the technological world, their
technology evolved much faster than the technology in LEDCs. Today, it is nearly impossible for
LEDCs to catch up on their own, and without our help, the problem will only get worse.
The innovative technologies designed for these issues already exist, but they haven’t been
implemented in the countries that need them. Thus, the problem isn’t in innovation, but in
spreading our knowledge to those who need it. The capabilities of modern technology are
advancing exponentially, and now it is up to us to make the new technology available to the
developing world.
1970 marked the beginning of a new era in human history known as the Information Age.
The Information Age, as defined by TheFreeDictionary, is “a time when large amounts of
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information are widely available to many people, largely through computer technology.”
However, without access to “computer technology,” a large percentage of the world cannot
participate in the technological revolution, and will be left behind the rest of the human race.
**not sure if I should keep this paragraph**
II. Background
When going to the roots of the problem, one may ask, “Why are some countries rich and
others poor?” The answer to this question may sound too broad to even ponder, but Bob Allen, a
professor of economic history at Oxford University, has a shockingly simple response. He claims
that, “technological change is the fundamental cause of economic growth.”3 While this may
sound too simple to answer such a question, when one considers what technological change has to
1 Kirkpatrick, David. "Technology and the Developing World." CNNMoney. Cable News Network, 22 Dec. 2006. Web. 2 http://www.thefreedictionary.com/information+age 3 Allen, Bob. Lecture. Economic History -­‐ Graham Lecture. Oxford University, Oxford. 2008. Web. offer for a country, they begin to recognize how drastic the changes are. For example, rising
incomes, urbanization and ultimately, capital accumulation are all results of more efficient
production – a direct consequence of technological growth.
Allen applies his hypothesis to the Industrial Revolution, and his results show the
analogous relationship between modern technology and the laborsaving technologies of the 16th
and 17th centuries. Since 1500, the economies of rich countries grew faster than others. This is
because they had the resources for technological development, and thus an opportunity to profit
from it. Without the manpower and materials to support modern ideas, LEDCs can’t develop
themselves further. As Thomas Edison said, “Innovation is 1% inspiration and 99%
perspiration.”
Consequentially, the economic inequality grew, and the gap between LEDCs and
MEDCs has multiplied in size. By today, the gap isn’t easily traversable, and without external
aid, there is little hope for LEDCs to catch up in the economic world. By providing a system for
the assimilation of technology, we may help restore global equality between MEDCs and LEDCs.
For example, in 1500, the average income in the United Kingdom was only 30% higher
than in India. Today, 500 years later, the economic inequality has changed from a mere 30%
difference to more than 1000%. In the future, the size of the gap will only grow unless we do
something about it. Figure 1 is a graph showing the GDP of a few nations in the last 500 years.
Figure 1 3
As the United Nations, we must prevent this problem from growing out of hand, and give
LEDCs a chance at economic redemption. If we wait any longer, the inequality might grow too
large to ever repair. LEDCs are falling farther and farther behind MEDCs because the nations
don’t have the right technologies for the everyday needs of their people.
III. Relevant International Agreements, Conventions, Organizations and Resolutions:
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1963: The UN conference on Science and Technology for the benefit of LEDCs is
held in Geneva, in order to address the imminent gap between LEDCs an MEDCs as
a result of technological development. The meeting emphasized 3 matters: “1)
strengthening science and technological capabilities of developing countries; 2)
restructuring international relations in technology transfer; and 3) strengthening the
role of the UN system in promoting new forms of technological cooperation and
increasing relevant financial resources.” 4
1971: The UN Conference on Trade And Development (UNCTAD) holds an
intergovernmental meeting to discuss the transfer of technology to LEDCs.
1993: The Commission on Science and Technology for Development met for the first
time in New York.
2003: Resolution 58/200 on science and technology for development to urge nations
to help in the distribution of technology.
2004: Resolution 59/220 is adopted by the GA in order to reaffirm the potential of
technology in both information and communication to foster economic development.
2005: In order to reaffirm the previous relevant agreements, resolution 60/205 is
adopted by the GA.
2006: Resolution 62/201 to reestablish the necessity to take action on the matter.
(Similar resolutions are adopted in 2007 and 2009)
2011: Resolution 66/211 is passed to facilitate the diffusion and implementation of
modern technology in countries where it is needed.
IV. Main Issues to Consider:
Here are some of the large problems in LEDCs today caused or influenced by the lack of
proper technology:
Famine – The UN estimates that world produce is enough to feed every person with
2,700 calories a day; this number is well over the required 2,100 for adults. Yet, there is much
starvation and famine around the world, particularly in LEDCs. Without proper infrastructure
and farming technology, it is often very difficult to grow food in LEDCs. **In many LEDCs,
over a quarter of crops die before they are harvested** (SOURCE). With the use of new
fertilizers, pesticides and genetically modified crops, we can avoid famine without harming the
environment.
Neglected diseases – According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), neglected
diseases (NTDs) are, “those that are prevalent among impoverished and marginalized populations
in the developing world. Tropical environments, poor living conditions, and limited access to
health care contribute to the risk and spread of these diseases.”5 For context of the prevalence of
these diseases, in Sub-Saharan Africa, their impact is near that of malaria and tuberculosis.6 Most
NTDs are treatable, and often at very little cost, but the lack of proper technology and funding
makes fighting them near impossible. With the proper technology on hand, LEDCs would be
able to prevent many outbreaks of infections at minimal funding.
4 "Timeline Events / UN Vienna Conference on S&T for Development." Sussex Manifesto RSS. Sussex Manifesto RSS, n.d. Web. 5 "Neglected Diseases." Ott.nih.gov. NIH OTT, n.d. Web. 6 Hotez, Peter J., and Aruna Kamath. "Abstract." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 25 Aug. 2009. Web. Energy Source – In many LEDCs, large portions of the population have little to no
access to a reliable and consistent energy source. By implementing a renewable energy source
such as wind, solar or geothermal power, they may reduce their dependence on oil or gasoline.
Not only will this give them a sustainable energy source, but they won’t be as vulnerable to
inflation when materials begin to deplete. Also, the distribution of oil, gas or fossil fuels can
often be difficult or expensive, while the abundant, renewable energy sources can be produced
locally as an alternative.
Infrastructure (transport) – “Good quality roads, railways, ports and airports are
essential for the smooth running of many key economic sectors in the developing world including
agriculture, industry, mining and tourism. Efficient transport infrastructures can also improve the
delivery of and access to vital social services, such as health and education.”7 Human mobility
and the transport of goods are necessary to meet the standards of modern social interaction.
Without proper transport infrastructures, the economic development of LEDCs is strictly limited,
and there is little hope for them to regain a position in the global economy.
Sanitation – According to water.org,8 almost one billion of the world’s citizens don’t
have access to clean water, and 2.5 billion people don’t have improved sanitation. In many cases,
wastewater is not properly removed, and drinking water isn’t purified before consumption;
however, there exist many inexpensive products designed for these problems that are just waiting
to be implemented in LEDCs.
Education and Employment – In order to implement many of the technologies
addressed above, educated workers need to be in place to operate the machines. Thus, it is
important to simultaneously improve the education systems in order to have any uses for the new
technology. But, as per usual, this problem can also be addressed by introducing new devices
designed for educational purposes. The implementation of modern technology in education has
uses beyond literacy and simple math. Rather, it provides exposure to the mass amounts of
information on the Internet, thus opening up many new opportunities to these students.
V. Web Sites:
http://unctad.org/en/Pages/CSTD.aspx - ECOSOC committee on the development of science and
technology
http://www.un.org/en/development/progareas/sciencetech.shtml - List of UN bodies relevant to
the issue
http://www.uis.unesco.org/ScienceTechnology/Pages/default.aspx - UNESCO Institute for
Statistics page regarding development through science and technology
7 "Infrastructure for Sustainable Development." Ec.europa.eu. European Commission, n.d. Web. 8 "Facts About Water." Water.org. Water.org, n.d. Web.