Science and Technology: the Commonwealth Dimension

Abstract

Soon after taking office in 1976 the present Commonwealth Secretary-General expressed concern that the Commonwealth scientific effort as a whole had been inadequate in relation to the basic needs arising from poverty and deprivation (of people in the Commonwealth).¹ In particular he urged the need for a low-cost but innovative programme directed towards neglected grass-roots problems. Mr Ramphal argued that the scientific facilities and skills to mount such an effort in carefully selected areas existed within the Commonwealth and the appropriate scientific agencies and institutions — especially those in developing countries — needed to be brought into more fruitful contact with each other in order to make more effective use of technological information which already existed. The thrust of the Secretariat’s future programme would be to stimulate a greater awareness of basic rural problems, and create improved linkages between these problems and the scientific effort, both national and co-operative.²