Date: 07/11/2003
Source: Ministry for Arts, Culture, Science and Technology
Title: Ngubane: Key outcomes of NEPAD Ministerial Conference on Science & Technology
STATEMENT BY DR BEN NGUBANE, CHAIR OF THE NEPAD MINISTERIAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: MINISTER NGUBANE, MEMBERS OF THE BUREAU OF THE FIRST NEPAD MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND PROFESSOR WISEMAN NKUHLU ANNOUNCE KEY OUTCOMES OF THE CONFERENCE
South Africa's Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology and the Chair of the Inaugural NEPAD Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology, Dr Ben Ngubane, members of the Bureau and Professor Nkuhlu announce that the first New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology has adopted the Plan of Action for the NEPAD Science and Technology (S&T) Programme. The ministerial conference, which was attended by delegates from 34 African countries, took place on 6 to 7 November 2003 at the Sunnyside Park Hotel in Parktown, Johannesburg, was preceded by the officials segment on 3 to 5 November. United Nations Agencies and other multilateral agencies and other international organisations as well as donor agencies also participated.
The Plan of Action, which was negotiated during the conference, covers three areas, namely, (1) Governance of S&T within NEPAD, (2) Finance Provision and (3) Flagship Programmes.
The key outcome concerning governance is the setting up of the Ministerial Council comprising all member states. The Council is responsible for formulating policy and shall exercise oversight on the implementation of the NEPAD S&T programme. South Africa will chair the council for the next two years. The adopted Plan of Action will lead to the formulation of a business plan on the flagship programmes by a Steering Committee consisting of senior officials representing the five geographical regions of the continent and the NEPAD Secretariat.
To ensure the successful implementation of the Business Plan that will emanate from the Plan of Action, resources will be sourced from both internal and external sources. The ministers recommended that a NEPAD Science and Technology Fund be created and a progress report on this matter be tabled within one year. Member countries committed themselves to increased funding of S&T from their exchequer budgets, to the tune of at least 1% of their respective GDPs. The member countries also undertook to put into effect several mechanisms to stimulate private sector investment in scientific research and technological development. Research institutions are encouraged to supplement their incomes by undertaking income generating services and through royalties from intellectual property. Member states also committed themselves to promote the use of national, regional and continental expertise before external expertise is sought. Discussions will be held with international partners, who expressed a lot of interest in supporting the NEPAD S&T initiative, to set up modalities for finance provision in terms of the Business Plan to be concluded.
The Ministerial Conference outlined twelve initial areas that will constitute the first round of the Flagship Programmes. These include areas that are critical to addressing the pressing problems of poverty and food security, such as biotechnology, S&T for manufacturing, energy, information and communication technologies, post harvest technology and water research. In each of these areas networks of centres of excellence and innovation hubs will be created in order to promote and develop innovations that will address the continent's socio-economic challenges, including the development of human resource capacity.
One of the highlights of the conference was the launch of the African Laser Centre, which comprises several national laser research institutions in various countries on the continent. This illustrates the determination of the continent to speedily translate the agreed initiatives into action. The Ministerial Conference also expressed solidarity in the bid led by South Africa to host the Square Kilometre Array Radio Telescope. Should Africa win the bid, major spin-offs in terms of investment and human resource development in key S&T areas related to the project. It will also put the African region on the global map in terms of the concentration of high-level astronomical facilities with the SALT and HESS already set up in the region.
Contact: Nhlanhla Nyide: General Manager: Communication, 082 8716767
Dr John Mugabe: NEPAD Secretariat 011-313-3539
Issued by: Minister Ben Ngubane, Members of the Bureau of the First NEPAD Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology and NEPAD
7 November 2003
Source: Ministry for Arts, Culture, Science and Technology
Title: Ngubane: Key outcomes of NEPAD Ministerial Conference on Science & Technology
STATEMENT BY DR BEN NGUBANE, CHAIR OF THE NEPAD MINISTERIAL COUNCIL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: MINISTER NGUBANE, MEMBERS OF THE BUREAU OF THE FIRST NEPAD MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND PROFESSOR WISEMAN NKUHLU ANNOUNCE KEY OUTCOMES OF THE CONFERENCE
South Africa's Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology and the Chair of the Inaugural NEPAD Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology, Dr Ben Ngubane, members of the Bureau and Professor Nkuhlu announce that the first New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology has adopted the Plan of Action for the NEPAD Science and Technology (S&T) Programme. The ministerial conference, which was attended by delegates from 34 African countries, took place on 6 to 7 November 2003 at the Sunnyside Park Hotel in Parktown, Johannesburg, was preceded by the officials segment on 3 to 5 November. United Nations Agencies and other multilateral agencies and other international organisations as well as donor agencies also participated.
The Plan of Action, which was negotiated during the conference, covers three areas, namely, (1) Governance of S&T within NEPAD, (2) Finance Provision and (3) Flagship Programmes.
The key outcome concerning governance is the setting up of the Ministerial Council comprising all member states. The Council is responsible for formulating policy and shall exercise oversight on the implementation of the NEPAD S&T programme. South Africa will chair the council for the next two years. The adopted Plan of Action will lead to the formulation of a business plan on the flagship programmes by a Steering Committee consisting of senior officials representing the five geographical regions of the continent and the NEPAD Secretariat.
To ensure the successful implementation of the Business Plan that will emanate from the Plan of Action, resources will be sourced from both internal and external sources. The ministers recommended that a NEPAD Science and Technology Fund be created and a progress report on this matter be tabled within one year. Member countries committed themselves to increased funding of S&T from their exchequer budgets, to the tune of at least 1% of their respective GDPs. The member countries also undertook to put into effect several mechanisms to stimulate private sector investment in scientific research and technological development. Research institutions are encouraged to supplement their incomes by undertaking income generating services and through royalties from intellectual property. Member states also committed themselves to promote the use of national, regional and continental expertise before external expertise is sought. Discussions will be held with international partners, who expressed a lot of interest in supporting the NEPAD S&T initiative, to set up modalities for finance provision in terms of the Business Plan to be concluded.
The Ministerial Conference outlined twelve initial areas that will constitute the first round of the Flagship Programmes. These include areas that are critical to addressing the pressing problems of poverty and food security, such as biotechnology, S&T for manufacturing, energy, information and communication technologies, post harvest technology and water research. In each of these areas networks of centres of excellence and innovation hubs will be created in order to promote and develop innovations that will address the continent's socio-economic challenges, including the development of human resource capacity.
One of the highlights of the conference was the launch of the African Laser Centre, which comprises several national laser research institutions in various countries on the continent. This illustrates the determination of the continent to speedily translate the agreed initiatives into action. The Ministerial Conference also expressed solidarity in the bid led by South Africa to host the Square Kilometre Array Radio Telescope. Should Africa win the bid, major spin-offs in terms of investment and human resource development in key S&T areas related to the project. It will also put the African region on the global map in terms of the concentration of high-level astronomical facilities with the SALT and HESS already set up in the region.
Contact: Nhlanhla Nyide: General Manager: Communication, 082 8716767
Dr John Mugabe: NEPAD Secretariat 011-313-3539
Issued by: Minister Ben Ngubane, Members of the Bureau of the First NEPAD Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology and NEPAD
7 November 2003
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