UN STI Forum: Omidire Seeks Urgent Funding Of ECOSOC NGOs To Make Science A Toll For Global Peace

The International Association of World Peace Advocates (IAWPA), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) with Special Consultative Status under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 2019, has called on governments, tech companies, and United Nations agencies to urgently fund ECOSOC-accredited NGOs as a direct strategy for achieving global peace and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The call was made by P.amb Kikilemo Kaosarat Omidire, Head of IAWPA Delegation, on Tuesday, as she presented IAWPA’s official Position Paper at the 11th Annual Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for the SDGs, holding May 6–7, 2026 at UN Headquarters, New York.

Addressing delegates, P.amb Omidire declared: “With only four years to 2030, and with violent conflict now a leading cause of SDG regression, there can be no
sustainable development without peace, and no lasting peace without inclusive development powered by science, technology and innovation.”

IAWPA’s Position Paper, themed “Leveraging Science, Technology and Innovation for Global Peace and Accelerated SDG Implementation,” argued that STI was not neutral, adding that when guided by the UN Charter and the Global Security Initiative, it becomes “the fastest bridge between peace and development.”

IAWPA presented concrete results from its ‘PeaceTech Initiative’ in Northern Nigeria. Using AI-driven early warning systems and digital peace maps that connect traditional rulers to real-time data, the initiative reduced communal clashes by 40% in pilot Local Government Areas between 2024-2025.

“This is proof that frugal, open-source technology saves lives,” P.amb Omidire stated. “A child with clean water and light to study is less likely to be recruited by armed groups. That is SDG 6, SDG 7, and SDG 9 delivering peace.”

The Position Paper stressed four unique advantages of ECOSOC-accredited NGOs in the STI-for-Peace ecosystem: Bridge Policy and People, Reach the Unreached, Ensure Accountability, and Innovate with Legitimacy

IAWPA, therefore, called for immediate action, tasking governments to create “National STI-for-Peace Windows” to fund ECOSOC-NGOs, fast-track visas for NGO delegates, and include NGOs in national STI councils.

Also, it called on corporate institutions to establish “STI for Peace” CSR Funds with 1% of CSR budgets, provide discounted AI/cloud licenses to NGOs in LDCs, and adopt joint IP models to keep tech affordable, while telling the UN Agencies and Donors to operationalise a UN-Africa STI Accelerator Fund for ECOSOC NGOs, simplify grant access, and mandate peace impact assessments for all major UN-funded STI projects.

P.amb Omidire announced IAWPA’s four commitments during the Forum which include presenting the SDG Dashboard on Performance as a citizen-led accountability tool; hosting a side event, a PeaceTech using innovation to orevent conflict and build resilience in Africa; advocating for the UN-Africa STI Accelerator Fund for ECOSOC NGOs, and partnering to sign MOUs for telemedicine, e-learning, and early-warning systems in rural Nigeria.

“The 11th STI Forum must move beyond dialogue to delivery,” P.amb Omidire concluded. “The technologies to achieve the SDGs and silence the guns already exist. What is missing is coordinated political will, equitable financing, and trust in civil society. IAWPA, with 54-country reach and ECOSOC legitimacy, stands ready to be that trusted partner.”