849 



For Want of a Nail^ 



FIGURH 2. The Official Agenda for UNCSTD. 



1 Science and technolni^v for dcvclnpment. 



(a) The choice and transfer of technolo>jy for development: 



(b) Elimination of obstacles to the better utilization ni knowledge and capabilities in 

 science and technology for the development of all countries, particularly for their 

 use in developing countries; 



(c) Methods of integrating science and technology in economic and social development; 



(d) New science and technology for overcoming obstacles to development. 



2. Institutinnal arrangements and new forms ot international cooperation in the application 

 of science and technology: 



(a) The building up and expansion of institutional systems in developing countries 

 for science and technology; 



(b) Research and development in the industrialized countries in regard lo problems of 

 importance to developing countries; 



(c) Mechanisms for the exchange of scientific and technological inlormation and exper 

 iences significant to development; 



(d) The strengthening ot international cooperation among all countries and the design 

 of concrete new forms of international cooperation in the fields of science and 

 technology for development; 



(e) The promotion of cooperation among developinu countries and the mlc ol developed 

 countries in such cxniperation. 



3. Utilization of the existing United Nations system and other inlcrnational organizations: 

 to implement the objectives set out above in a coordinated and integrated manner. 



4. Science and Technology and the Future. Debate on the basis ot the report of a panel ot 

 experts to be convened on this subject. 



(Author's Note; Item '1 has always Ix-en vaguely defined.) 



All UN conferences have a broad agenda and all require national contrH)utioiis. ot 

 course. But UNCSTD and its National Papers were coinplicaled from the start by at 

 least three factors. First, the subject— science and technology /or development — is 

 essentially concerned with comprehensive social process, rather than with more 

 narrowly definable, goal-oriented topics, such as food or population. Scientific and 

 technological means are involved with virtually every one ot the diverse ends sought 

 by modernizing societies. What is worse, the same means often relate to several goals 

 and may even conflict with each other. Thus a National Paper, in principle, should 



