Peruvian President Francisco Sagasti on Wednesday noted that science, technology, and innovation are key topics that must be addressed in the country to guarantee national development for the benefit of all Peruvians.
During the installation of the Multisectoral Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation at the Government Palace in Lima, the President affirmed that work must be done to encourage private investment in research, which has been lagging behind, since it is quite low compared to other countries in the world.
"In this year of pandemic, we have seen that knowledge, science, technology, and innovation have become key to face any threat and ensure development. It is impossible to sustain a development process in the short, medium or long term without capacities in science," he pointed out.
President Sagasti cited as an example the fact that countries such as Korea and China, which a few decades ago began to strengthen innovation, are nations that have managed to achieve development.
The statesman explained that the Multisectoral Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation was created in this sense, since the small designated budget is focused on few instruments that have no minimum critical mass for the development of technology.
"The ways to support the development of scientific and technological capacity in Peru are quite little, they are dispersed and concentrated at the same time, which is a paradox, and they are not really doing their job," he explained.
Mr. Sagasti also announced that a bill to reorganize the legal framework will be drafted, in such a way that Concytec can be stepped up to play its proper role.
In this sense, the President reported that such initiative will be submitted to the Congress of the Republic in the coming days.
(END) JCR/CVC/RMB
Published: 3/31/2021