At a moment when the world is drifting off course on its development commitments, science, technology and innovation (STI) are no longer optional instruments of progress—they are the decisive tools that will determine whether we recover lost ground or fall further behind.
This was the central message I presented on behalf of Kenya at the 28th session of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), where global leaders gathered to assess how innovation can accelerate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The stakes could not be clearer. The latest United Nations SDG report 2025 presents a sobering picture: only 35 per cent of targets are on track, nearly half are progressing too slowly, and 18 per cent have regressed since 2015. More than 800 million people remain in extreme poverty, 272 million children are out of school and the global financing gap stands at an estimated $4 trillion annually.
These are not abstract statistics—they reflect a world struggling under the weight of conflict, climate disruption and widening inequality, compounded by uneven access to technology. Yet this is not a moment for retreat. It is a moment for coordinated, evidence-based action, anchored in the recognition that STIs can compress—or widen—the gap between nations and communities.
The 2026 theme of the United Nations Economic and Social Council and the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development – focused on transformative, equitable and innovative action – rightly places technology at the centre of global recovery. But the real test lies in whether these principles translate into practical outcomes: funded programmes, accessible technologies and inclusive systems that leave no one behind.
Kenya offers a compelling case of both progress and unfinished business. Over the past decade, the country has emerged as a continental hub for fintech, agri-tech and digital health innovation. Mobile money has transformed financial inclusion, bringing millions into the formal economy and setting a global benchmark. Digital health platforms are reaching remote populations, while innovations in agriculture are strengthening value chains and market access for smallholder farmers.
At the same time, Kenya is investing in long-term digital and scientific infrastructure. The development of Konza Technopolis—often described as Africa’s Silicon Savannah—marks a significant step in building a knowledge-driven economy. With operational data infrastructure and an expanding ecosystem of services, it signals a shift from ambition to implementation. Similarly, the establishment of the Kenya Advanced Institute of Science and Technology reflects a strategic commitment to high-level scientific training and research capacity.
Yet gaps persist. Connectivity remains uneven, particularly for young people, women and girls. Small and medium enterprises continue to struggle to access applied research that can be translated into commercial solutions. And like many developing countries, Kenya faces constraints in fully harnessing artificial intelligence due to infrastructure limitations and skills shortages.
These challenges are not unique—they are systemic. And they highlight a larger global imbalance. Artificial intelligence, the defining technology of our time, is advancing rapidly but unevenly. Its applications—from predictive climate modelling to AI-assisted healthcare diagnostics and precision agriculture—are already transforming economies. But its development remains concentrated in a handful of countries and corporations.
Without deliberate policy intervention, AI risks deepening inequality rather than reducing it. Governance frameworks remain fragmented and lag behind technological progress. Critical issues such as data sovereignty, algorithmic accountability and equitable access to computing power are yet to be resolved in a way that reflects global interests.
Kenya’s position is clear: the world requires an inclusive AI governance architecture—one that is co-designed with the Global South, grounded in human rights and environmental sustainability, and supported by genuine technology transfer. Initiatives such as the Global Digital Compact and the World Summit on the Information Society provide a foundation, but they must evolve to reflect today’s realities.
Equally important is the question of data governance. Data is no longer just an economic input; it is a strategic resource. For developing countries, the ability to govern data effectively—protecting citizens while enabling innovation—is essential. Without this, the digital divide risks becoming a deeper development divide.
But beyond frameworks and declarations lies a more pressing concern: delivery. The outputs of global forums must move beyond well-crafted language to tangible commitments.
First, financing must be addressed with urgency. Dedicated, time-bound investments in STI for developing countries are essential if meaningful progress is to be achieved before 2030. Second, access to technology must be expanded through reforms in intellectual property systems that currently restrict knowledge sharing. Third, inclusion must be placed at the centre of innovation policy, particularly through gender-responsive approaches that empower women and girls as leaders in science and technology. Finally, institutions such as the CSTD must be adequately resourced to fulfil their mandates at scale.
The 2030 Agenda was never intended as a statement of intent; it was a covenant—between nations and between generations. With only a few years remaining, the world must shift decisively from deliberation to action.
The true measure of progress will not be the sophistication of the technologies we develop but the extent to which they improve lives, expand opportunity, and create a more equitable future.
Kenya stands ready to play its part—not only by sharing its innovations, but by confronting its challenges with honesty and purpose, and by working in partnership to ensure that science and technology deliver for all.
PS, State Department of Science, Research and Innovation | [email protected]
