Joint Special Meeting under the theme "From Digital…

This meeting will be convened in line with General Assembly resolution 80/147 and have
a focus on advancing digital inclusion and youth entrepreneurship for sustainable development, reflecting a priority of the President of the Economic and Social Council.

Thematic Focus:

• Challenges and Opportunities in Developing Countries in Relation to Science, Technology, and Innovation
• Youth Innovation in Action: Creating Enabling Environments for Youth-Led Entrepreneurship, Advancing STI Skills, and Leveraging Strategic Finance

The meeting aims to:

• Examine the challenges that developing countries face in leveraging science, technology and innovation as drivers of sustainable development, with particular attention to barriers affecting youth agency and STI-driven entrepreneurship.
• Identify key policy, institutional, and financial enablers that support STI development in developing countries and, within that context, youth entrepreneurship in science, technology, and innovation sectors.
• Share good practices, evidence, and lessons learned from national and regional experiences.
• Promote multi-stakeholder partnerships among governments, the private sector, academia, and youth-focused and youth-led organizations.
• Amplify youth voices and highlight their role as partners and drivers of sustainable development and inclusive economic growth.

The meeting is expected to contribute to:

• Enhanced understanding of developing countries' challenges and opportunities in harnessing STI, and how to promote youth entrepreneurship
• Identification of scalable and replicable approaches to strengthen inclusive innovation ecosystems in developing countries, including for youth.
• Strengthened collaboration and partnerships across sectors and stakeholders
• Policy-relevant recommendations to support youth-led innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital service exports.
• Increased visibility of youth innovators and entrepreneurs and their contributions to achieving the SDGs as agents of change.