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The Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom, will attend the fifth ordinary meeting of the African Ministerial Council on Science and Technology (AMCOST) in Brazzaville, Congo, from 14 to 16 November 2012.  The meeting is preceded by the senior officials' session on 12 and 13 November 2012.
 
A number of thematic side events have been organised, including South Africa's "Astronomy in Africa" event on 14 November, where the focus will be on the African Square Kilometre Array project and the African Very Long Baseline Interferometry Network.
 
AMCOST is composed of ministers in charge of science and technology and their senior technical officials or experts.  It is the overall governance structure for setting continental priorities and policies pertaining to the development and application of science and technology for Africa's socio-economic transformation.
 
AMCOST was established in November 2003 under the auspices of the New Partnership for Africa's Development and the African Union.  It is a high-level platform for developing policies and setting priorities on science, technology and innovation for African development.  AMCOST provides political and policy leadership for the implementation of Africa's Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action.