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The first meeting of the Science & Technology Ministers of India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Group opened here today with the Minister for Science & Technology and Ocean Development, Shri Kapil Sibal, calling for higher level of investment in the research for developing a vaccine against HIV/AIDS. Shri Sibal said currently only $3.6 billion is being spent on the disease while experts had projected that at least $8 billion should be allocated by the international community by this year for research. He regretted that agricultural subsidies in the developed countries alone amount to as much as $300 billion. Shri Sibal said that HIV/AIDS touches the entire humanity and as such what is required is increased funding, coordination amongst various countries and an appropriate policy framework. He informed the Group that India is working on a legislation, which will address various issues relating to HIV/AIDS e.g. discrimination, practices in blood banks etc. Shri Sibal called upon IBSA to form a core group which will remain at the forefront of an international movement against HIV/AIDS.
Shri Sibal said IBSA should also concentrate on biotechnology which impacts on agriculture and health. With population rise and diminishing returns from the agricultural fields the only way to solve the problem of feeding vast multitude may be possible only with the help of biotechnology. He also said that with the coming into operation of WTO regime developing countries will be in a position to export their food products if they are in a position to do so.
Turning to nano-technology, Shri Sibal said that at present the world leaders are the United States, Germany and Japan. However, with greater cooperation IBSA will be in a position to make an impact in this hi-tech area.
The Brazilian Minister for Science & Technology, Prof. Luis Manuel Rebello Fernandes said his country has made significant progress in designing and building 50-seater aircraft and were able to export $2 billion worth of aircraft last year. He also said that Brazil has developed expertise in producing soya, and its by-products which may be of use to other developing countries.
The South African Minister for Science & Technology, Mr. Dereck Andre Hanekom called for identifying specific areas for cooperation not only in science and technology but also related fields e.g. global trade talks. He appreciated India’s position on HIV/AIDS and said that research should also extend to other diseases like malaria which is the bigger killer in Africa.
The tri-lateral IBSA Dialogue Forum was established in pursuance of the decisions taken in the meeting of foreign ministers of India, Brazil and South Africa at Brasilia in June 2003 for the purpose of bringing together three of the largest democracies in three main continents for a greater south-south cooperation. Science and Technology was one of the key areas identified for tri-lateral cooperation in the Brasilia Declaration.
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