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December 2008, UNECA
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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. The primary focus will be on the 43 S&T-lagging countries in sub-Saharan Africa that have been identified by TWAS based on a careful assessment of their scientific output and the impact that STI is having on development. The publication singles out the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) deficit as one of the most significant challenge that Africa faces because it lacks scientific and technological capacity to effectively address the challenges that it confronts. Equally important, is the lack of innovative capacity to devise solutions to overcome these challenges. After assessing the main challenges and Africa’s scientific outputs, the paper explors what needs to be done to promote change in Africa at a pace that not only helps the continent to move ahead but also to catch up with the rest of the world in areas such as: - Government Policy and Commitment - Human Resource and Scientific Talent Development - Linking Science and Technology to Action - Linking Frontier Science and Technology to Innovation - Strengthening African Science Academies - Linking Science to Society: The Role of Science Centres - Promoting partnerships with other countries.
For a copy of the publication, please contact:
Ms. Aida Opoku-Mensah
Director, ICTs, Science and Technology Division (ISTD)
UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
P. O. Box 3001, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Email: aopoku-mensah@uneca.org
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