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UNECA Science, Technology and Innovation Programme
Innovation for Africa’s development
Overview
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UNECA works with member States to promote the use of science, technology and innovation (STI) to achieve sustainable socio-economic development in Africa. The STI Programme offers policy advice on new and emerging trends and technical assistance in designing policies, measures and projects to promote, nurture and harness Africa’s creative minds and entrepreneurial talents.
The programme benefits from the expertise and inputs of the members of the Science and Technology Advisory Group (STAG), the Committee on Development Information Science and Technology (http://repository.uneca.org/codist/ ) and Science with Africa Conference (http://www.uneca.org/sciencewithafrica/main.html) , among others.
The Programme is composed of four key areas:
see Focus Areas
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| ::STI News |
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 Science With Africa e-Newsletter - Issue No. 11 - April 2012
Ins this issue: African ingenuity celebrated at the 2012 Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) awards ceremony, UNECA Biomedical Engineering Initiative for improved healthcare expands , UNECA released the new version of GeoNyms 2.0
, Aida Opoku-Mensah wins the Leadership Award for Making a Difference ,
UNECA supports Ethiopia to draft E-Commerce Law, ECA to assist Tanzania undertake its ICT policy review ,The First African Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation opened
and more.
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 Rwanda Officially Launches the Rwanda Innovation Endowment Fund
Supporting innovators, protecting their knowledge, commercializing their innovation
ECA Press Release No. 48/2012
Kigali, 05 April 2012 (ECA) - Today, the Government of Rwanda officially launched the Rwanda Innovation Endowment Fund (RIEF) to fund research and development in innovative market oriented processes and products in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and One UN Rwanda.
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 Africa Forum on Science Technology and Innovation Opened
ECA Press Release No. 47/2012
Nairobi, 03 April 2012 (ECA) - A three-day Science Technology and Innovation Forum opened March 31st in Nairobi, Kenya on the theme, "Youth Employment, Human Capital Development and Inclusive Growth".
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 Egyptian Wins First Innovation Prize for Africa
ECA Press Release No. 39/2012
Addis Ababa, 26 March 2012 (ECA) - The United Nation Economic Commission for Africa and the Africa Innovation Foundation hosted an awards ceremony to celebrate African ingenuity. The ceremony took place on the sidelines of the ongoing Conference of ministers of Finance and planning that is deliberating the actions needed to turn Africa into a New Growth Pole for the global economy. The annual awards honour and encourage innovative achievements that contribute toward developing new products, increasing efficiency or saving cost in Africa.
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 UNECA and UIRI partner to promote engineering innovations for improved healthcare in Uganda
ECA Press Release No. 31/2012
Kampala, 16 March 2012 (ECA) – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) and their key national partners- Makerere University and Kyambogo university; have agreed to forge a close collaboration to promote biomedical engineering for improved healthcare in the country.
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 A one-day national workshop of the RIIA-E was held at the UNECA Headquarters on 15 March 2012
Addis Ababa, 15 March 2012 (ECA) - The workshop was attended by over hundred participants drawn from government and academic institutions, individual inventors as well as private sector representatives. It was organized by ICT, Science & Technology Division (ISTD) of the ECA and the RIIA-E as a follow-up to the outcomes of the second Science with Africa conference.
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 Science With Africa e-Newsletter - Issue No. 10 - December 2011
In this issue: Six African Universities Adopt a Generic Biomedical Engineering Curriculum, ANDI strides towards the implementation of programs in Africa, Workshop on knowledge sharing & networking for community information centres, Framework to measure government ICT-based service delivery adopted in Mauritius, Conference on AIGF, AGIS 2011, First Forum of the UN Global Geospatial Information Management (GGIM) Initiative, Ethiopia: First Science Congress Opened, Women Scientists Honored At Pan African University Launch, and more ...
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 UNECA to support Kenyatta University establish a Biomedical Engineering Program
ECA Press Release No. 09/2012
Nairobi, 06 February 2012 (ECA) – The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and Kenyatta University have agreed to work together in building a biomedical engineering programme at the university.
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 First Science Congress opens in Ethiopia
ECA Press Release No. 157/2011
Addis Ababa, 15 December 2011 (ECA) - The first Science Congress of the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences opened today in Addis Ababa to assess the overall status of science and technology in Ethiopia and identify major gaps in the country. The two-day Congress on the theme, “Science and Technology – Survival of a Nation” , will end tomorrow.
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 Conference on drugs and innovation urges governments to support clinical research
ECA Press Release No. 132/2011
Addis Ababa, 26 October 2011 (ECA) - A 3-day conference of the African Network for Drugs and Innovation (ANDI) opened in Addis Ababa this week with strong calls for "support to ensure new and improved drugs, as well as diagnostic, vaccines are made accessible to the African people." Approximately 500 participants, drawn from the health care industry, pharmaceuticals, partners and ministers responsible for health are in attendance.
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 ANDI establishes 32 Centres of Excellence in Health Innovation in Africa
27 October 2011
Addis Ababa, 27 October 2011. The African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (ANDI) has concluded its annual stakeholders meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the recognition of 32 African institutions as ANDI Centres of Excellence in health innovation.
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 4th ANDI Stakeholders Meeting to announce the first pan-African Centres of Excellence in Health Innovation
ECA Press Release No. 129/2011
Addis Ababa, 24 October 2011 (ECA) - The African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (ANDI) is holding its fourth stakeholders meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 24th to 27th October.
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 Journalists and educators ponder how to report science, technology and innovation for Africa's development
Abuja, Nigeria.18 October 2011 (ECA) - Western African journalists and educators gathered in Abuja to discuss ways of better reporting science, technology and innovation at a regional workshop jointly organized by the United Nations, Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Scientific, Technical and Research Commission (STRC) of the African Union Commission.
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 Science With Africa e-Newsletter - Issue No. 9 - July 2011
In this issue: The 2011 Technology in Government in Africa Awards announced, The UNECA Institutional Repository launched, UNECA Innovation Center enters the testing phase, ECA and AIF launch prestigious February 2012 African Innovation Prize, Africa Science News as well as other news items closely related to the themes and objectives of Science With Africa. [more]
 
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 Inaugural Board of the African Network for Drug and Diagnostic Innovation elects Kenya and South Africa as co-chairs.
Addis Ababa, 12 January 2011 (ECA)
The first board meeting of the African Network for Drug and Diagnostic Innovation (ANDI) closed today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The board is to provide ANDI with the necessary guidance, oversight and support needed to enable ANDI successfully contribute to health innovation in Africa.
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 A technological resurgence? Africa in the global flows
of technology
UNECA ISTD 2010
A study by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) entitled, “A technological resurgence? Africa in the global flow of technology" has concluded that Africa’s rapid growth in industrial technological acquisition gives rise to the hope that “the Continent may be joining other developing regions in building a sound industrial base, likely to support production of value-added goods and services as well as high-tech products.”
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 Government officials, Scientists, and Industry leaders discuss challenges for strengthening technological Innovation in Nigerian Manufacturing
21 July 2010 - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Engaging in innovation depends not only on access to knowledge or technology from multinational companies and research institutions, but also on many other factors. There is therefore the need to find the right framework of interactions among the actors of the national innovation system, aimed at development and diffusion of new technology throughout the economy.
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 Mainstreaming Gender in Science, Technology and Innovation Critical to Achieving the MDGs
25 June 2010 - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Participants of the plenary session on women and innovation which took place today during the second Science With Africa Conference stressed the importance of mainstreaming gender in science, technology and innovation for Africa to achieve the MDGs.
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 African scientists and policy makers concur that linking science and innovation with entrepreneurship is critical for Africa's economic growth
21 July 2010 - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The second Science With Africa Conference was opened today bringing together over four hundred scientists, scholars, international research partners, policymakers and entrepreneurs from all over the world. The Conference was organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in collaboration with the African Union (AU) on the theme “Science, Innovation and Entrepreneurship”.
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 "Technological learning and adaptive research should prevail against basic research", says Ethiopian Minister at the Science with Africa Conference.
ECA Press Release No. 49/2010
Addis Ababa, 23 June 2010 (ECA) - The Ethiopian Minister of Science and Technology Mr. Juneydi Saddo called for a shift in the orientation of research activities in Africa. He urged African countries to focus on technological learning and adaptive research instead of basic research. |
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One-day Pre-events to the 2nd Science with Africa Conference Concluded
Addis Ababa, 24 June 2010 (ECA) - Various events organized as a pre-Conference event to the 2nd Science with Africa Conference, scheduled to take place from 23 to 25 June 2010 in Addis Ababa, held on 22 July 2010 at the United Nations Conference Centre of the UNECA. |
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ECA holds the sixth Meeting of the African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (ANDI) Task Force
3-4 May 2010 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
The ICT, Science and Technology Division (ISTD) of ECA, in collaboration with World Health Organisation and its special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), hosted and facilated a two day meeting of the Task Force of the African Network for Drugs and Diagnostics Innovation (ANDI). |
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African Scientists Developing a Roadmap Towards Climate Change
17 March 2010 - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
 A three-day consultative workshop on “Climate Change and Scientific Consequences in Africa: Post-Copenhagen” opened today to address the role of African scientists in combating climate change. These eminent scientists will determine how scientific knowledge as a basis for institutional action can support ways that African countries adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.
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Experts discuss challenges to Gender Mainstreaming in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in the East African Community
February 25, 2010
 The under-representation of women in STI sector has not been well documented and the underlying causes of this problem well-studied. In an effort to address these barriers and issues, some African countries have developed and implemented programs, structures and policies on gender mainstreaming, and equity in Science and Technology. However the level of implementation is still low.
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ECA, the IUCEA bring scientists, researchers from East African Community together to launch the East African Network of Research Excellence (EANRE)
23 February 2010
In collaboration with the Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA), the Information Communication Technologies (ICT), Science and Technology Division (ISTD) of ECA, facilitated a 2-day scientists workshop on “Building the East African Network of Research Excellence (EANRE) and observatory (EANREO)“ from 22-23 February, in Kampala, Uganda.
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African Scientists Review a Regional Science, Technology and Innovation Framework
15 February 2010
 A three-day consultative workshop on African Innovation Framework opened today to review the draft framework document prepared by an ECA consultant to guide Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) development in the continent.
The specific objectives of the workshop is to critically review the contents of the proposed framework document entitled “Unlocking Africa’s Future: Towards An African Innovation Framework” and provide comments and inputs to enrich the document leading to a comprehensive African Innovation Strategy. |
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ICT, Science and Technology Committee to be established in the National Assembly of the Gambia
24 - 25 November 2009
 In collaboration with the National Assembly of the Gambia, the Information Communication Technologies, Science and Technology Division (ISTD), facilitated a 2-day Member of Parliament (MP) workshop on “The role of Parliament in promoting ICT, Science and Technology for sustainable development” from 24-25 November 2009. More than forty Members of Parliaments and staff participated in the event. The workshop was organized within the framework of ECA’s ECA-Finland Cooperation on ICT Development in Africa, providing expertise, guidance and capacity building to African countries implementing national ICT, Science and Technology strategies. |
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Les Honorables Députés de l’Assemblée Nationale du Togo à l’école des TIC, de la Science, la Technologie et l’Innovation pour le développement.
17 - 18 Novembre 2009
 En partenariat avec l’Assemblée Nationale du Togo , la Division des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication (TIC), de la Science et de la Technologie (DTST) de la Commission économique des Nations Unies pour l’Afrique (CEA), a organisé au profit des Honorables Députés et personnel du Parlement, un atelier sur le rôle des Députés de l’Assemblée Nationale dans la promotion des TIC, de la science, la technologie et l’innovation pour le développement socioéconomique et l’accélération des Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement (OMDs), du 17 au 18 Novembre 2009, à Lomé au Togo. |
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Addis Ababa hosts African Innovation Framework Workshop
29 June 2009
 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 29 June 2009 (ECA) - A two-day consultative workshop on developing an African Innovation Framework opened in Addis Ababa, today to chart the way towards developing a concrete and “implementable” framework to guide Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) development in the continent. The second objective of the workshop is to focus on the opportunities and challenges for the development of African innovation strategy to complement national, sub-regional and sectoral ICT, Science and Technology policies and strategies. |
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On-going on-line discussion on science, technology and innovation for development in Africa
16 February 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; |
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Science with Africa Update 2008
16 February 2009
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] |
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Promoting Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development in Africa
December 2008
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] |
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ECA Moves from Ideas to Action to Promote Scientific Research and Development in Africa
9 June 2008
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] |
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Science
and technological innovation critical for Africa's economic
growth
5 March 2008
“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] |
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