Qatar Foundation Research Forum

Doha, 10 December 2010

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to welcome you at this forum, representing an embodiment of our will in Qatar to make of scientific research one of the main strategic pillars of our national vision.

Three days ago, I spoke about the connection between education and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); a relationship which due to its strength, has generated global consensus.

Today I would like to shed the light on a path constituting an integral part of this topic.

When it comes to the MDGs and the means of executing them, I wonder:

How can the developing world representing the majority of humans on this planet engage itself in this scientific and technological leap and how can it invest its results in achieving these goals?

How can these people become active participants instead of being merely dazzled observers of the revolutionary innovation witnessed in the field of science and technology in the last decades?

Unfortunately, the reality reveals clearly that the scientific leap is neither comprehensive nor fair to all humans, it is simply another side of Pareto’s principle, known as the 80-20 rule. And because it has become acceptable to talk about globalization in the fields of education, economy, culture and information technology; time has come as well for globalization in the research field to be recognized.

What I mean by globalization in the research field is not a globalization looking for new markets and opportunities and seeking profits, but I particularly mean a globalization which should take into account the attributes, requirements and needs of the developing world.

We must all be convinced that we are passed the stage of discussing the necessity of enhancing the opportunities of scientific research. This principle is now self evident.

However, what type of scientific research are we talking about?

Is it the type limited to only one pole who can control its tools and outcomes? Or is it the type which should be comprehensive and as a result democratic, available and within everyone’s reach?

Just as education should grow in the local environment instead of being imported or imposed, scientific research should be based on the local knowledge requirements and on meeting the needs of the society.

Hence, scientific research ladies and gentlemen should take into account the needs of developing countries and not be confined to meeting the needs of a minority group of people. The needs of developing societies relate to what is necessary for survival whereas these needs in developed societies aim to achieve their welfare.

Therefore, as we talk about the democratization of scientific research we must consider the needs and the capabilities of the majority of this planet’s inhabitants.

In this context, addressing this problematic question becomes of an ultimate importance:

How can we convince, urge and stimulate decision makers, prestigious research centers, the private sector and the major institutions, constituting the parties defining the policies of scientific research and ensuring its financing, to at least rearrange their priorities from being based on gain and profit to become contributors in building partnerships for economic and social development through scientific research with the assistance of societies lacking the necessary means?

This is the pivotal question to which we must find convincing answers.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I believe, as a result of my several dialogues regarding this subject, that providing the necessary funding is among the priorities to launch a realistic scientific research project addressing the needs and achieving the objectives.

For instance, how can famine, threatening hundreds of millions of people be eradicated without the launch of research projects in partnership with local institutions, achieving the required development for agricultural production as is the case in Africa?

This applies as well in the case of combating Malaria, tuberculosis and HIV.

How can a research structure in developing societies be developed, transforming these societies into a strategic and active partner in executing the Cancun statement pertaining to combating climate changes which was approved yesterday and the sustainability of which was emphasized?

How can we in our Arab World, through enhancing the scientific research structure, face food and water security challenges? And especially environmental security which not only suffers in our region from climate changes, but also and unfortunately it suffers from the results of the wrong investment of scientific research leading to our region becoming a large laboratory for biological and chemical experiments.

The unjustified use of military technology lead to an environmental imbalance not only affecting the atmosphere, but also the water basins and the ground soil which poses a present and a future threat to all living creatures and here lies our collective and individual responsibility in developing research frameworks capable of finding solutions appropriate to the needs of our Arab societies.

Scientific research is hence the path towards reconciliation with the environment aiming at achieving environmental security.

This is what lead us in Qatar to create a research structure open to all competencies through the establishment of Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) in addition to research centers specialized in biomedical research, information technology and environmental sciences.

We also provided the needed funding through creating Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) and the endowment allocated for that same purpose.

I would like to raise one last issue. The research structure requires putting in place a short, medium and long term strategy and requires first and foremost a solid political will.

Hence, the approach we adopted in Qatar, in line with achieving the goals of the 2030 national vision is based on preparing and rehabilitating the national frameworks in order to build Arab, regional and international partnerships and to guide researches towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Scientific research should have the ability to achieve the strategic goals as priorities, and should also address the changes accompanying the national vision. For instance I expect for Qatar’s scientific research to contribute to offering solutions to the various challenges we might face as we prepare for hosting the 2022 World Cup.

I am not anticipating the events here but these are the changes which must be taken into account.

Thus, scientific research just like education, becomes a path for developing and rehabilitating human capabilities and competencies, and as such, becomes the solution.

Finally, what is expected from us at this forum?

We have a year to prepare for research projects and studies beneficial to us in Qatar and beneficial to the developing societies in our Arab World, in Africa, Sub Sahara, Asia and the world.

We are in a critical phase and we shouldn’t rely, from this date onwards, on hybrid projects which may not be useful to us.

We want an innovative and a creative forum, specializing in offering solutions and alternatives and building partnerships in order to assist developing societies to access the research club with a full membership, not with an honorary membership or as an observer.

This is how I see this forum, otherwise it will be useless if its purpose will be to only monitor what the others have achieved.

The era of shock and dazzling is over and the era of partnership and parity has began.

Thank you.