G20 Research and Innovation Ministerial Meeting held in Manaus

On 19 September 2024, the Swiss State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation, Martina Hirayama, attended the first ever G20 Research and Innovation Ministerial Meeting held in Manaus.

The Brazilian G20 presidency had set an agenda around the topic of “Open Innovation for a Fair and Sustainable Development”. The discussion highlighted the need for a collaborative innovation model that overcomes borders and dichotomies between the Global North and South, leveraging global knowledge to generate local economic and social value.

The Ministers eventually adopted the Manaus Declaration, which reflects a political consensus on international cooperation in research and innovation, with a thematic focus on decarbonization, public health and the protection of tropical forests, as well as on core principles such as diversity, equity, and inclusion. In particular, the Declaration emphasizes that “open innovation is based on voluntary partnerships and respect for intellectual property”.

On the eve of this high-level event, Manaus hosted the G20 International Seminar on the Amazon and Tropical Forests, bringing together experts, scientists and representatives of international organizations to discuss crucial issues on environmental preservation and scientific innovation applicable to tropical forests.

Max Bergman, Professor of Social Research at the University of Basel, represented Switzerland in a panel on effective strategies for expanding research networks in the Amazon territory, promoting not only scientific progress but also socio-economic development. “It's not enough to study the problems of the Amazon, we need to look for solutions that involve local communities and other players, such as the private sector. Science has to be applied in a practical way in order to have a real impact,” said Prof. Bergman.

Switzerland's invitation to participate in this new G20 working group is a direct outcome of its strong bilateral agenda in research and innovation with Brazil, which was formalized in 2009..

Belem, the main Brazilian gate to the tropical forest, will host COP30 in November 2025. This will be another occasion for Switzerland to showcase its climate-positive research and innovation solutions, including for the growth of a bioeconomy benefitting to the 48 million inhabitants of the Amazon Basin.