First | Second | Third | Opening: First Meeting

K. Y. AMOAKO,  UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would first like to welcome all to this First Meeting of the Advisory Board on Science and Technology for Africa’s development. I would also like to thank you for your commitment to the budding Science and Technology Programme of the ECA.

This group of advisers is indeed an important one. Advisers are key personnel in the work of the ECA as they embody expert knowledge that is needed to enunciate interventions that would make desirable impact in ECA member countries. Some of you are not new to the ECA having participated in the meeting of the Ad-hoc group of experts that was held from 9 to 12 February 1998. Your group is expected to build on the work of the previous meeting in order to guide the Commission to help its member States harness the fruits of science and technology for the solution of some of their development problems.

Specifically, this meeting of the Advisory Board will focus on two sets of issues. First, you are kindly requested to consider issues resulting from the ad-hoc group of experts meeting and those arising from the recommendations of the African Conference of Ministers which need to be pursued quickly in order to ensure that their suggestions are implemented for the benefit of the continent. Second, you will need to prepare a profile for an Executive Dialogue of Ministers and high level officials who are responsible for Science and Technology which is planned to take place from 18 to 19 June in Addis Ababa. The dialogue, if well conducted, should not only foster a better understanding of the science and technology issues, but also stimulate executive level action for scientific and technological development of the continent.

 Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

The previous ad-hoc expert group meeting had made many useful recommendations including the provision of clear guidelines for the preparation of country compendia to make for uniform presentation and highlights of best practices. Your group will be expected to prioritize the science and technology needs of member States in view of the fact that resources are in short supply to satisfy the many needs identified. An ECA Science and Technology Network (ESTNET) has also been launched due to the perceived roles of the network in the dissemination of best practices and in the sharing of science and technology experiences among member States on the one hand, and between the Commission and its member States and their development partners on the other. A report on the current status of the Network will be provided to this meeting with a view to obtaining your input of how to further the activities of the Network.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

On its part, the African Conference of Ministers at its twenty-second meeting held in November 1995 assigned to the Commission several tasks for promoting science and technology development and utilization in the region. The Commission was asked to (i) foster subregional cooperation and integration in science and technology by formulating subregional policies on the basis of members' competitive advantage; (ii) design and implement subregional science and technology projects; and (iii) search for funds for the execution of science and technology-related activities. In addition, the Conference specified some science and technology activities that the ECA could pursue. These include the provision of sample legislation for implementing science and technology policies, entrepreneurial capacity building in science and technology use, popularization of science and technology activities, and the delivery of science and technology services to member States.

These are onerous tasks. Although the Conference pledged full support for ECA’s science and technology activities which should be designed to help member States to incorporate science and technology into their overall socioeconomic development, for food security, poverty alleviation and enhanced quality of life, the rhetoric still remains to be converted to concrete actions.

The Commission has scheduled an Executive Dialogue on Science and Technology Policies and Programmes involving Ministers and high level policy makers to reflect on the vision and aspirations implicit in the recommendations of the Conference of Ministers. We look up to the Advisory Board to provide guidelines for this dialogue to ensure fruitful outcome.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me now touch on the question of mobilisation of extra-budgetary resources for science and technology activities. While the ECA is determined to help member States build and use their science and technology capacities for development, it is faced with resource constraints. To augment the United Nations' approved regular budget and to ensure that the ECA makes needed impact in member States, Divisions are encouraged to explore new and innovative ways of financing their various programmes. In this regard, I would like to inform you that we have received financial assistance from the Carnegie Corporation of America for the implementation of some of the Science and Technology activities, including organisation of the Expert Group Meeting, this Advisory Board Meeting and the planned Executive Dialogue. I am very grateful to the Carnegie Corporation for their timely support to the Science and Technology Programme of the FSSDD.

We continue to pursue vigorously other avenues of extra-budgetary support. We have developed a project document which we urge you to examine and see how it can be enriched. I have no doubt that you will discuss modalities for raising extra-budgetary funds in course of your discussions.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Overall, the ECA expects your meeting to leave behind various action-oriented recommendations on the way forward for the science and technology programme of the ECA which should cut across most if not all the Divisions of the ECA. Specifically, this meeting should set priorities regarding the many science and technology needs of member States and advise the ECA on how best to meet these needs; advise ECA on the mode of intervention that will make marked impact in member States; advise ECA on methods of raising the needed funds and other resources for the science and technology programme; and prepare a detailed profile of the planned Executive Dialogue of Ministers and high level policy makers responsible for science and technology in various countries.

I am confident that you have the expertise to meet the challenges of these tasks. I have no doubt that at the end of your deliberations, the Commission will receive clear guidelines on ways of moving forward with the task of harnessing science and technology for African development.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Before I conclude, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to you for honoring our invitation and for your support for the work of the Food Security and Sustainable Development Division which is charged with building a viable platform from which to launch a Commission-wide science and technology initiative.

I wish you very fruitful deliberations. I now declare open the First meeting of the Advisory Board on Science and Technology for Africa’s development.

I thank you for your attention.

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