Economic Commission for Africa

Executive Secretaries’ Dialogue with Second Committee

Executive Secretaries’ Dialogue with Second Committee

The UN, Development, The UN, Development, Globalization and InterdependenceGlobalization and Interdependence

Economic Commission for Africa

Fostering Knowledge and Innovation for Fostering Knowledge and Innovation for Development in a Globalizing world: Regional Development in a Globalizing world: Regional

PerspectivesPerspectives

Fostering Knowledge and Innovation for Fostering Knowledge and Innovation for Development in a Globalizing world: Regional Development in a Globalizing world: Regional

PerspectivesPerspectives

Nurturing Alliances for Regional and Interregional Cooperation in Science and Technology

Nurturing Alliances for Regional and Interregional Cooperation in Science and Technology

Mr. Abdoulie JannehMr. Abdoulie JannehUN Under-Secretary-General and Executive

Secretary, ECA18 October 2006, New York

ContentContent 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 GrowthSTI, 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 DocumentOutcome 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 ContextSTI in a Globalized Context

Meeting GlobalCommitments for STI:

Africa’s Challenge

OutcomeDocument

MDGs

WSSD

WSIS

OutcomeDocument

MDGs

WSSD

WSIS

World Summit on the Information Society (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.

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 AfricaSTI in Africa

Research and DevelopmentResearch and DevelopmentResearch and development

(R&D) expenditures (% of GDP) 1997–2002

00.20.40.60.8

1

Madagascar

Seychelle

s

Burk

ina

Faso

Egypt

Mauritius

Tunis

ia

South

Afr

ica

São T

om

é

and P

rincip

e

Uganda

Source: Human Development Report 2005

STI in AfricaSTI in Africa

Access to Knowledge and information Access to Knowledge and information 19

8

13 13

17

4

9 9

8

4

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Acc

ess

th

rough

vari

ous

com

munic

ati

on,

reso

urc

es,

no

tably

th

e In

tern

et, to p

ublic

offi

cial

info

rma

tion

¨ Le

gis

lation

on a

ccess

to

info

rmation a

nd t

he

pre

serv

ation

of p

ublic

da

ta, n

ota

bly

in th

e a

rea o

f

the n

ew

te

chno

logie

s

¨ M

ult

i-purp

ose

com

mu

nity p

ublic

acc

ess

poin

ts,

pro

vid

ing

aff

ord

able

or

free

of

cha

rge a

ccess

for

their

citiz

ens

to the

vari

ous

com

munic

ati

on

Rese

arc

h a

nd p

rom

otio

n o

f aw

are

ne

ss o

f th

e

poss

ibili

ties

off

ere

d b

y d

iffere

nt

soft

wa

re m

ode

ls:

Propri

eta

ry, O

pen-s

ourc

e, &

Fre

e s

oft

ware

Capaci

ty b

uild

ing

for

loca

l auth

ori

ties

in the

wid

esp

read u

se o

f IC

Ts a

s a

mea

ns

of im

pro

vin

g

loca

l go

vern

an

ce

The

cre

ation

and

dev

elo

pm

ent o

f a d

igita

l pu

blic

libra

ry a

nd

arc

hiv

e s

erv

ice

s

Initia

tiv

es

to fa

cilit

ate

acc

ess

, in

cludin

g fre

e a

nd

aff

ord

ab

le a

ccess

to o

pe

n a

ccess

jou

rna

ls a

nd

boo

ks, a

nd

ope

n a

rchiv

es

for

scie

ntific

Allo

w p

eop

le to

acc

ess

info

rmation a

nd

know

ledge

alm

ost

inst

an

tan

eousl

y

Prom

ote

th

e u

se o

f IC

Ts a

s a fu

ndam

en

tal

work

ing to

ol b

y the

ir c

itiz

ens

an

d lo

cal a

uth

ori

ties

Sup

port

R&

D o

f th

e d

esi

gn

of use

ful i

nst

rum

ents

for

all

sta

keh

old

ers

to f

ost

er

incr

ease

d a

ware

ness

,

ass

ess

me

nt, a

nd

evalu

atio

n o

f d

iffere

nt so

ftw

are

Perc

en

tag

e

Source: Economic Commission for Africa, 2005

ECA RepositioningECA 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 RepositioningECA 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

AlliancesAlliances

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 MatrixAlliance Matrix

• Building STI CommunitiesBuilding STI Communities• Research & DevelopmentResearch & Development• Policy & StrategiesPolicy & Strategies• Capacity BuildingCapacity Building• Links to IndustriesLinks to Industries

Interregional

NationalGlobal

Regional

Outcome of WSIS Phases I and IIOutcome of WSIS Phases I and II

ESCWA

Global Alliance

Interregional AllianceInterregional Alliance

Coordinated by ESCWA

Regional Commissions’ Knowledge Networks

Regional AlliancesRegional Alliances

ICTs/VarsityNetICTs/VarsityNet African Research NetworkInformation Society Indicators

Enabling Environment

African languages and contentdevelopment in cyberspace

ICT Industrialization

VarsityNet/AAU

VarsityNet/IUCEA

Regional AlliancesRegional Alliances

ICTs/VarsityNetICTs/VarsityNet

Geo Information InstitutionsGeo 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 AlliancesRegional Alliances

ICTs/VarsityNetICTs/VarsityNet

Geo Information InstitutionsGeo Information Institutions

S&T InstitutionsS&T Institutions

NEPAD S&T

African Network of Scientific and

Technological Institutions

(ANSTI)

Regional AlliancesRegional Alliances

ICTs/VarsityNetICTs/VarsityNet

Geo Information InstitutionsGeo Information Institutions

S&T InstitutionsS&T Institutions

STI Regional Alliances: Role of ECASTI Regional Alliances: Role of ECA

ICTs PICTA ePol-NET Africa

Geoinformation Africa GIS CODI-Geo UNGIWG

S&TUN S&T ClusterNEPAD S&T

ICTs PICTA ePol-NET Africa

Geoinformation Africa GIS CODI-Geo UNGIWG

S&TUN S&T ClusterNEPAD S&T

Challenges and Lessons LearntChallenges and Lessons Learnt

Unattractive working conditions oblige Africans to leave their countries, thus increasing Africa's brain drain.

Unattractive working conditions oblige Africans to leave their countries, thus increasing Africa's brain drain.

Unattractive working conditions oblige Africans to leave their countries, thus increasing Africa's brain drain.

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.

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

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.

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

Limited capacities to develop adapt and exploit scientific and technological solutions that respond to their specific needs

Challenges and Lessons LearntChallenges and Lessons Learnt

Limited knowledge and expertise on the role that IPR systems could play in fostering innovation, knowledge diffusion and competition

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 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 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 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 AlliancesWay Forward: Nurturing Regional and Interregional Alliances

NEPADSTI

ECA

AU(RECs)

ADB

UN WidePartners

Economic Commission for Africa

Thank-you!Thank-you!

www.uneca.orgwww.uneca.org

Thank-you!Thank-you!

www.uneca.orgwww.uneca.org