On the occasion of the G8 Summit in Hokkaido, Japan, 7–9 July 2008, the members of the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC), the Inter-American Network of Academies of Sciences (IANAS) and the Science Council of Asia (SCA), submit a statement to the leaders of the G8+5 countries on the role of science, technology and innovation in promoting global development, fostering human welfare and reducing global poverty as called for in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).