Topic: Harnessing Science and Technology to address Development Challenges
Country: Bolivia
Delegate Name: Alaina Smith
School: Mattawan High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Bolivia position papers GLIMUN 2013 committees
New science and technology is vital to the growth and development of all countries. Technology can improve a country’s economy, along with its agricultural and communication capabilities. Without technology, countries are not able to compete on a global scale. Today, three quarters of the world has access to mobile networks, allowing for fast and easy communication. In fact, access to cell phones is shown to raise health awareness, improve economies, and can even help to break down language barriers through translating services. Despite all of the benefits, it is difficult to encourage developing countries to accept new technology, and even more difficult to distribute such technology to poverty stricken areas. Bolivia understands the importance of technology in building up the capabilities of developing nations, and hopes to work with the international community to identify ways to help spread advances in science and technology.
Bolivia, being a developing nation, is just beginning to increase its technological capabilities. Many of our people rely on agriculture and mining natural resources to survive, and a main export of Bolivia is petroleum gases. New advances in technology have improved our ability to safely and effectively use these plentiful natural resources. Bolivia follows a policy of sustainable development, meaning that the goal is to meet human needs without exhausting the environment. By working with developed nations that have an interest in fair trade with Bolivia, the Bolivian government has brought in new technology from these nations to the industries of Bolivia. For instance, Bolivian president Evo Morales met with Germany to learn about German technology to generate energy from renewable resources. By collaborating with other nations, Bolivia is incorporating new technology and educating many of its experts in STEM fields.
To solve the problem of lack of technology and science, Bolivia is suggesting that developing countries consider working with technologically advanced nations to begin developing their own math and science programs. The best way to improve technology is to educate the people about its use, and developing countries can learn many valuable strategies from the innovations of others. However, developing nations should proceed with caution to avoid losing control of their own industries to more powerful countries. The UN should monitor the progress of these nations, and should admonish any attempts by stronger countries to take advantage of the efforts of developing nations through unfair trade deals and collaborations.
