Dr. Norlida Mohd Dom represented HTC KL of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Malaysia in the webinar of UNESCO Jakarta for Science to Enable and Empower Asia Pacific for COVID 19 response. The COVID19 pandemic poses significant challenges for Asia and the Pacific. It is anticipated that millions will be pushed back into poverty, while progress towards the SDGs will be drastically impacted. UNESCO’s thematic and inter-disciplinary science networks, supported by Malaysia Funds-in-Trust (MFIT) and the Japanese Funds-in-Trust (JFIT) span the region and have the potential to play a critical role in mobilizing science communities across Asia and the Pacific, enhancing the sharing of lessons from Member States and advancing international cooperation.

The impact of the pandemic on UNESCO’s regional science networks and global; to understand and act on how we–individually and collectively–can respond to the challenges it poses.