Economic Commission for Africa Executive Secretaries’ Dialogue with Second Committee The UN, Development, Globalization and Interdependence

Economic Commission for Africa Fostering Knowledge and Innovation for Development in a Globalizing world: Regional Perspectives Nurturing Alliances for Regional and Interregional Cooperation in Science and Technology Mr. Abdoulie Janneh UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary, ECA 18 October 2006, New York

Content  STI Development and Economic Growth  Development of STI in a Globalization Context –Outcome Document –WSIS  STI in Africa –Role of ECA –ISTD: ICTs, Geoinformation, S&T, KM  Nurturing Alliances –Global –Interregional –Regional  Challenges and Lessons Learnt  The way forward  STI Development and Economic Growth  Development of STI in a Globalization Context –Outcome Document –WSIS  STI in Africa –Role of ECA –ISTD: ICTs, Geoinformation, S&T, KM  Nurturing Alliances –Global –Interregional –Regional  Challenges and Lessons Learnt  The way forward

STI, Development and Economic Growth  STI supports all pillars of the Economy  Proven significance of STI for economic and industrial growth and employment  STI singled out in WSIS, WSSD process and the outcome document/SG's report and MDGs.  More recently a number of reports (by the World Bank, UN Commission for Science and Technology for Development etc) acknowledge that STI important for development, sustainable development in particular  Basis for Knowledge Economies  STI supports all pillars of the Economy  Proven significance of STI for economic and industrial growth and employment  STI singled out in WSIS, WSSD process and the outcome document/SG's report and MDGs.  More recently a number of reports (by the World Bank, UN Commission for Science and Technology for Development etc) acknowledge that STI important for development, sustainable development in particular  Basis for Knowledge Economies

Outcome Document “Important role of science, technology and innovation in enhancing economic well-being is widely recognized.” General Assembly Resolution A/RES/60/204 “Important role of science, technology and innovation in enhancing economic well-being is widely recognized.” General Assembly Resolution A/RES/60/204

STI in a Globalized Context Meeting Global Commitments for STI: Africa’s Challenge  Outcome Document  MDGs  WSSD  WSIS  Outcome Document  MDGs  WSSD  WSIS

World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Both the Geneva and Tunis phases of the WSIS put emphasis on regional and international cooperation for the promotion of ICT, Science, Technology and Innovation.

STI in Africa Research and Development Source: Human Development Report 2005

STI in Africa Access to Knowledge and information Source: Economic Commission for Africa, 2005

ECA Repositioning ICTs, Geoinformation S&T (ISTD) – ECA’s Response  To support industrialization and sustainable development efforts in member States  Facilitate new competitive environment for Knowledge Economy  Increasing science, technology and innovation in development activities ICTs, Geoinformation S&T (ISTD) – ECA’s Response  To support industrialization and sustainable development efforts in member States  Facilitate new competitive environment for Knowledge Economy  Increasing science, technology and innovation in development activities

ECA Repositioning Geoinformation S&T (ISTD) – ECA’s Response ISTD: Access to Knowledge  Access to information and knowledge resources through the African Virtual Library and Information Network (AVLIN)  Knowledge Management within ECA and member States Geoinformation S&T (ISTD) – ECA’s Response ISTD: Access to Knowledge  Access to information and knowledge resources through the African Virtual Library and Information Network (AVLIN)  Knowledge Management within ECA and member States

Alliances  Regional, interregional and global alliances area mutually reinforcing in this particular sector  They are necessary for shared experiences, fostering new ideas and for developing standard comparable indicators as to how countries are advancing for  These alliances also foster cooperation among countries and across continents such as South- South, North-South etc.  Alliances increasingly the way forward in STI as result of digital technologies.  Regional, interregional and global alliances area mutually reinforcing in this particular sector  They are necessary for shared experiences, fostering new ideas and for developing standard comparable indicators as to how countries are advancing for  These alliances also foster cooperation among countries and across continents such as South- South, North-South etc.  Alliances increasingly the way forward in STI as result of digital technologies.

Alliance Matrix Building STI Communities Building STI Communities Research & Development Research & Development Policy & Strategies Policy & Strategies Capacity Building Capacity Building Links to Industries Links to Industries Interregional National Global Regional

Outcome of WSIS Phases I and II ESCWA Global Alliance

Interregional Alliance Coordinated by ESCWA Regional Commissions’ Knowledge Networks

Regional Alliances ICTs/VarsityNet African Research Network Information Society Indicators Enabling Environment African languages and content development in cyberspace ICT Industrialization VarsityNet/AAU VarsityNet/IUCEA

Regional Alliances ICTs/VarsityNet Geo Information Institutions African Organization of Cartography and Remote Sensing (AOCRS) Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Surveys (RECTAS) Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD)

Regional Alliances ICTs/VarsityNet Geo Information Institutions S&T Institutions NEPAD S&T African Network of Scientific and Technological Institutions (ANSTI)

Regional Alliances ICTs/VarsityNet Geo Information Institutions S&T Institutions

STI Regional Alliances: Role of ECA ICTs  PICTA  ePol-NET Africa Geoinformation  Africa GIS  CODI-Geo  UNGIWG S&T  UN S&T Cluster  NEPAD S&T ICTs  PICTA  ePol-NET Africa Geoinformation  Africa GIS  CODI-Geo  UNGIWG S&T  UN S&T Cluster  NEPAD S&T

Challenges and Lessons Learnt  Unattractive working conditions oblige Africans to leave their countries, thus increasing Africa's brain drain.  Africa's higher education institutions and R&D centers in a severe state of crisis: lack of physical infrastructure & limited access to ICTs, educational resources, research data, financial resources etc.  Limited capacities to develop adapt and exploit scientific and technological solutions that respond to their specific needs  Africa's higher education institutions and R&D centers in a severe state of crisis: lack of physical infrastructure & limited access to ICTs, educational resources, research data, financial resources etc.  Limited capacities to develop adapt and exploit scientific and technological solutions that respond to their specific needs

Challenges and Lessons Learnt  Limited knowledge and expertise on the role that IPR systems could play in fostering innovation, knowledge diffusion and competition  Limited resources to create viable and competitive physical/virtual networks of excellence between African / International institutions of higher education and STI institutions  Limited knowledge and expertise on the role that IPR systems could play in fostering innovation, knowledge diffusion and competition  Limited resources to create viable and competitive physical/virtual networks of excellence between African / International institutions of higher education and STI institutions

Way Forward: Nurturing Regional and Interregional Alliances NEPAD STI ECA AU (RECs) ADB UN Wide Partners

Economic Commission for Africa Thank-you!