In his keynote address at the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, Rolf Heuer pushed investment in science, and "co-opetition"

(Video: United Nations Web TV)

In his keynote address this week at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN), CERN Director-General Rolf Heuer pushed scientific research as a driving force for knowledge, technology and innovation.

"In today’s challenging period," said Heuer, "all regions need to step up support for research and innovation to ensure - in a global competitive environment - the sustainable development of science and technology necessary for the upturn and growth of everybody’s economy."

The Director-General was speaking at the ECOSOC annual ministerial review on the theme of “Science, technology and innovation, and the potential of culture, for promoting sustainable development and achieving the United Nations 'Millennium Development Goals'”.

Heuer said that though sharing information and knowledge is the basis for excellence, cooperation and competition do not exclude each other. Coining a new word as a challenge to UN translators, he said that "co-opetition" is the key to successful scientific endeavour.

Watch the full speech in the video above.