UN Tech Bank Engages Sierra Leone Ambassador
Deodat Maharaj, Managing Director of the United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries (UNTBLDC), recently paid a courtesy visit to Ambassador Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba in Turkey. During the meeting, Maharaj expressed a strong interest in Sierra Leone’s technological advancements.
The UNTBLDC was established as a subsidiary organ of the UN General Assembly on December 23, 2016, through UN Resolution 71/251. Its mission is to support the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in strengthening their science, technology, and innovation (STI) capacities. The Technology Bank currently serves 46 LDCs and former LDCs for up to five years post-graduation from the category.
The creation of the Technology Bank was called for in the Istanbul Programme of Action (IPoA) for the LDCs for the Decade 2011–2020. Adopted in 2011, the IPoA aimed to improve scientific research and innovation, promote networking among researchers, help LDCs access and utilize critical technologies, and consolidate support from bilateral and multilateral initiatives and the private sector.
Maharaj thanked the leadership of the Mission in Turkey and outlined the core mission of the Technology Bank: to enhance LDCs’ capacities in STI, including the development and deployment of technologies and innovations, especially indigenous ones. He mentioned that the Bank also supports agricultural productivity, solar energy, and digital literacy. Furthermore, Maharaj highlighted potential collaboration with Sierra Leone in AI technology and climate technology enhancement.
Ambassador Kaisamba expressed his excitement about partnering with the UNTBLDC, emphasizing that the priorities align with President Julius Maada Bio’s programs. He assured Maharaj that his team would follow up with the Bank, highlighting the government’s interest in technological advancements in agriculture and capacity building for the youth to drive agricultural productivity.
