IN THIS ISSUE: Science with Africa related activities; Outcome of CODIST; Latest Findings in Biological Sciences (Global); African Science News; Upcoming Science-related events in Africa; Opinion
This e-newsletter, produced on a quarterly basis provides information and news on the follow-up to the Science with Africa conference, as well as other news items closely related to the themes and objectives of the event.
The African Science to Business Challenge is a pioneering initiative launched by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and RTI International (RTI) aimed at strengthening links between scientific research and business development. [more] Application Form | Deadline: 31st October 2009
Since May 2007, ECA has been managing an on-going on-line discussion on science, technology and innovation for development in Africa (http://www.dgroups.org/groups/sti4d-africa), which is helping build an electronic community of stakeholders around Africa’s science agenda and ECA’s program. With over 600 discussants and over 900 messages exchanged so far, it is probably the biggest e-community ever assembled on this theme in Africa. It has identified and mobilised a core set of African S&T policymakers, experts, consultants and other stakeholders who have a keen interest in STI4D. sti4d-africa has discussed and shared knowledge and experiences on issues covering: (i) current role of scientific community in Africa - gaps/challenges in S&T development on the continent, major S&T issues on the continent, way forward; (ii) ICT role for advancing S&T in Africa/S&Tfor advancing ICTs - roadmaps, opportunities, challenges (iii) issues related to access to scientific knowledge - status of access, limitations to access, areas concerned, and (iv) Building African S&T base: what is required in research, Publishing, Resource mobilization, Science and Technology management etc;
During 2008, ECA initiated programs and activities in follow-up to the Science with Africa Conference. These range from a roadmap workshop to develop implementable projects from the ideas identified at the SwA conference, through an expert group meeting to develop health research guidelines for Africa, to a grant program for commercialisation of research results. [more]
This recurrent publication discusses the opportunities and challenges that Africa faces in seeking to accelerate science-based sustainable development across the continent. It outlines the specific steps that need be taken to build STI as key elements for overcoming Africa’s chronic and often debilitating development problems.The ultimate goal of the publication is to provide a framework / blueprint for action designed to help many of the world’s most impoverished countries build a sustainable economic future. [more]
The Information, Science and Technology Division (ISTD) of the Economic Commission for Africa organized a workshop last week in Addis Ababa in collaboration with the African Union Commission and Brainstore to devise strategies and set a timeframe for the implementation of innovative ideas, which the Science with Africa Conference generated last March. [more]
“The
scale of the challenge facing Africa in the area of
science and technology is huge but it can be overcome
with vision, commitment and unwavering determination,”
said UN Under-Secretary General and ECA's Executive
Secretary Mr. Abdoulie Janneh at the opening of the
Science with Africa Conference, organized by the United
Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in collaboration
with the African Union (AU). [more]
ICT is revolutionizing our world. One cannot think about life without computers, the Internet, satellites and mobile phones. They're turning our world into a global village. Is Africa being left out of this revolution? This 50 minute presentation highlights how Africa is making inroads into leveraging ICT for the continent's development.
This publication serves to assess the 10 years of the existence of AISI,
which was adopted by ECA as its work programme, and highlights the opportunities
and challenges of the implementation of this framework within the context
of African development.
The report indicates, among other things, that there has been an increase in the collection of ICT data by developing countries but that more such nations need to incorporate ICT statistics into their regular statistical surveys -- that such information is vital for making effective decisions on linking national economies into global information networks and for taking advantage of the opportunities such technologies as the Internet offer for development.
African Science to Business Challenge
Science,
Technology and Innovation Section
ECA’s program. With over 600 discussants and over 900 messages exchanged so far, it is probably the biggest e-community ever assembled on this theme in Africa. It has identified and mobilised a core set of African S&T policymakers, experts, consultants and other stakeholders who have a keen interest in STI4D. sti4d-africa has discussed and shared knowledge and experiences on issues covering: (i) current role of scientific community in Africa - gaps/challenges in S&T development on the continent, major S&T issues on the continent, way forward; (ii) ICT role for advancing S&T in Africa/S&Tfor advancing ICTs - roadmaps, opportunities, challenges (iii) issues related to access to scientific knowledge - status of access, limitations to access, areas concerned, and (iv) Building African S&T base: what is required in research, Publishing, Resource mobilization, Science and Technology management etc;
