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Matters arising from previous AMCOST Meetings

Matters arising from previous AMCOST Meetings. African Union Commission Department of HRST Science and Technology Division. Implementation of the CPA.

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Matters arising from previous AMCOST Meetings

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  1. Matters arising from previous AMCOST Meetings African Union Commission Department of HRST Science and Technology Division

  2. Implementation of the CPA • AMCOST calls upon the members states to urgently boost the capacity of the Science & Technology and ICT Division in the Human Resources, Science and technology (HRST) Department by seconding officers through the AMCOST organ and requests the Permanent Representative Committee (PRC) of the African Union to consider restructuring the Division of HRST in response to the evident increase of programmes under its portfolio. • Member States have not yet seconded staff to the department

  3. Implementation of the CPA • AMCOST urges the AU Commission to develop a programme to ensure the enhancement of Science and Technology infrastructure in the AU Member States and further requests all partners to support this programme. • Not yet started due to financial constraints

  4. Implementation of the CPA • AMCOST appreciates progress made by the AUC and NEPAD Agency in harmonizing their respective Biosafety programmes in order to reduce duplication. However the African Biosafety Network of Expertise (ABNE) of the NEPAD Agency should concentrate on building capacity of national regulatory systems while the AUC Biosafety Unit concentrates on international forum issues and in revising the African Model Law on Biosafety and other policy development initiatives. • There is a strong collaboration and programmatic alignment between AUC/HRST life and earth science unit and NEPAD agency ABNE.

  5. Implementation of the CPA • AMCOST commends the NEPAD Agency for its programmes on pharmaceutical innovation and harmonization of medicines registration in the AU Member States and RECs in line with the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (GSPA), AU Health Strategy, AU Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa and the CPA. • The NEPAD agency is collaborating with ANDI to develop an innovative system for health R&D including pharmaceutical innovations.

  6. Implementation of the CPA • AMCOST commends the NEPAD Agency for providing leadership in developing a bio-energy programme, with expansion prospects, for Africa in collaboration with the AUC Infrastructure and Energy Department. • Bio-energy framework has been developed as part of the renewable energy program of PIDA.

  7. Implementation of the CPA • AMCOST acknowledges the role of the UN Cluster for Science and Technology in the CPA implementation and requests the convener, UNESCO to ensure that there are synergies among its cluster members. • There is a lot of progress being made and the details are listed in the full report of the Bureau

  8. Implementation of the CPA AMCOST urges Member States to develop strategies and mechanisms to turn the brain drain in Africa to brain circulation within Africa for the enhancement of science, technology and innovation capacities. No progress reported from Member states. However Member states have many successful initiatives to combat brain drain

  9. ITEMS PROPOSED BY MEMBER STATES, RECs AND EMERGING PARTNERSHIPS

  10. AU-EU partnership AMCOST commends the Partnership No. 8 on Science, Information Society and Space of the EU-Africa Joint Strategy and recognises the progress made and calls the AU and EU to expedite the execution of projects of the Book of Lighthouse Projects. It further welcomes the establishment of a high-level policy dialogue between EU and Africa on science and technology. High Level Policy Dialogue was launched in October 2011 at the level of Senior officials meeting which also agreed on TOR’s for the SOM. JEG8 meeting was held in Tanzania in May, 2012 and in November, 2012 in Cape Town, SA.

  11. GLORIAD AMCOST commends the Arab Republic of Egypt and the National Science Foundation (USA) for the implementation of the Global Ring Network for Advance Applications Development (GLORIAD) project with a broader strategy for expansion across Africa. Progress has been reported on the GLORIAD. 3.5 million USD has been awarded to Egypt for capacity building purposes and for the established networks. The AfDB has agreed to support the GLORIAD for being an infrastructure project. Egypt invited other interested member states to join.

  12. Participation of African experts to JEG8 The AMCOST urges Member States to participate in the EU-Africa Joint Experts Group (JEG-8), and African countries serving on JEG8-8 to report to the Steering Committee on its regular meetings. Steady participation of MS is reported

  13. Square Kilometer Array AMCOST unanimously supports South Africa’s bid for Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope initiative and calls upon all Member States to participate actively including in capacity building opportunities offered by the initiative. AMCOST further recommends this initiative to be presented to the AU Assembly South Africa succeeded to obtain the bid jointly with Australia. The activities for Phase 1 to receive low frequency signals will be hosted in Australia and Phase 2 to be coordinated by South Africa. Phase 2 relates to the construction of satellite dishes which will start in 2016.

  14. AMCOST Portal AMCOST commends Egypt for hosting the AMCOST portal and calls upon all Member States to contribute to this initiative as a platform for knowledge sharing and exchange of best practices. Egypt established the portal but member states did not utilize it. Egypt is willing to transfer it to Congo Brazzaville, host AMCOST V

  15. Informal Science education programs in MS AMCOST urges Member States to put in place programs that promote informal science education to cultivate interest in science among children and youth Member states reported that programmes are being implemented at national level. The AMCOST SC and Bureau also took note of the Declaration of the Sixth Science Centre World Congress which was held in Cape Town September 2011. There is urgent need to exert efforts on this topic and may be this can be enforced by the science decade both regionally and continentally

  16. Women and youth in Science and Technology AMCOST urges Member States and African Union organs to develop special capacity building programmes that lead to more participation of women and youth in science and technology. A conference was held in Nairobi in April 2012 on STI and youth and the joint secretariat (AUC-UNECA-UNESCO-AfDB) are determining joint activities from the Nairobi Declaration for implementation.

  17. ANDI AMCOST welcomes the proposed African Network for Drugs and Diagnostic Innovation (ANDI), and its anticipated contribution to on-going initiatives on building health innovation capacity in Africa. ANDI is requested to work with the NEPAD Agency in further development of the initiative in order to maximize synergies in health research and innovation. UNECA and NEPAD are implementing ANDI. 32 centers of excellence established; however, they are facing financial constraints for sustainability

  18. Decade of science and technology The AMCOST mandated its Bureau to work with the Commission to take all the necessary actions to ensure successful launch of the decade of science and technology. Egypt reported that this is being implemented with various bilateral partners from the North and South Africa also reported on the joint event hosted with Germany to promote the decade on science in their respective countries. However it was noted that the decade is an excellent idea for popularization of Science and should be implemented regionally and continentally. Egypt offered to work with AUC in the implementation of the AU decade on science and technology.

  19. AMCOST IV Bureau recommendations

  20. Working group on resource mobilization & parliamentarian workshop / ASTIF To set up a Working Group (WG) to explore and recommend innovative and alternative funding mechanisms in order to set-up a dedicated financing instrument to support science, technology and Innovation (STI) initiatives and programmes including the existing network of centers of excellence. Agreed to hold two workshops back to back on capacity building of parliamentarians in STI and on resource mobilization South Africa and Egypt to draft a framework for resource mobilization and disseminate to Bureau members within 3 weeks from the date of the meeting.

  21. Working group on resource mobilization & parliamentarian workshop / ASTIF AUC and the AMCOST Chair to revisit the Africa Science and Technology Innovation Fund (ASTIF) feasibility study and to engage with the African Development Bank (AfDB) on the setting up of the fund. Regional Economic Communities Two workshops were held in Cairo, Egypt The workshop was a platform for empowering and building the capacity of the African legislators through a common African dialogue to forge to enhance their active participation and advocacy beyond 1% GDP allocation for Science Research in Africa.

  22. Recommendations Res WS Extend Working Group (WG) to include UNECA-ADB Revise Draft Framework to include inputs from workshop, presentations ADB feasibility Study to be also considered Resource person to be identified to revise the Document WG to meet during7-9 November 2012 in Cape Town to finalise Draft Framework document for AMCOST

  23. Recommendation Res WS Draft framework to be presented to AMCOST V for consideration Proposal to be made to AMCOST for convening of a Funding conference to represent the Draft AU Funding Framework to regional, international partners (development funders) including private sector Thereafter WG to start a process of establishing the Fund

  24. Support to the AURG The Bureau commended the AUC for successfully launching 2 calls for research proposals and acknowledges the European Commission’s (EC) financial and technical support in the implementation of the research grant programme. The Bureau urged the AU Member States, RECs and International Partners to avail resources for the next calls and to take all necessary actions to ensure the sustainability of this programme. AUC continued engaging Member States, RECs and Development Partners for resource mobilization and Strong engagement with.

  25. Institutionalization of AOSTI The Bureau urged AOSTI to do its uttermost to expedite the development of the statutes and continue implementation of the thematic programme of work as agreed upon by the Intergovernmental meeting of 9 -11 May 2012. AOSTI Statutes Document was adopted by the AOSTI intergovernmental meeting of 9th to 11th of May 2012 and has been enriched by the Legal Counsel of African Union Commission. The AOSTI Statutes will be submitted to AMCOST for endorsement and subsequent adoption by the policy organs of the African Union.

  26. Institutionalization of AOSTI Implementation of thematic programme of work . Staffing Construction of AOSTI Building Under the request of the host country, the AUC has completed and submitted the architectural design of the AOSTI building.

  27. Harmonization ASTII/AOSTI The Bureau reiterated the need for the AUC and the NEPAD Agency to continue with the ongoing harmonization and alignment of African Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (ASTII) activities with those of AOSTI in line with the African Union Assembly Decision/AU/Dec 232 (XII) of February 2009. A series of meetings were held between the ASTII programme and AOSTI. ASTII has been aligned to activities of AOSTI. The two programmes are gearing up to present a common proposal on R&D and innovation indicators in Africa under the AOSTI umbrella.

  28. African Research & innovation Council The Bureau took note of the AU Assembly Decision to establish the African Research and Innovation Council (ARIC), and the feasibility study being carried out as work in progress that will be presented to AMCOST V for consideration and further requested the AUC to timely share the relevant information on the proposal before AMCOST V meeting to enable Member States to study it thoroughly Meeting of ARIC task force to Finalize feasibility study on ARIC was held in Dakar in September 2012 and other meetings are programmed before the end of the year. Progress on ARIC will be presented during AMCOST V

  29. PAIPO The Bureau requested the AUC to submit the revised consultative PAIPO report to the AMCOST V meeting for consideration according to the recommendation of AMCOST IV. Further urged the AUC to report on the development of Geographic Indications, Indigenous Knowledge programmes. The PAIPO Statute was finalized as requested by the 1st AMCOST IV Bureau Meeting in accordance with the recommendation of the AMCOST IV. The document was sent to the Ministries in charge of intellectual property in the AU Member States and incorporated the concerns of stakeholders. The document is ready for presentation to AMCOST V for consideration and endorsement.

  30. Infectious diseases surveillance The Bureau urged the AUC on the proposal submitted on the development of the framework on infectious diseases to carefully coordinate and collaborate with NEPAD Agency health initiatives, network of Centers of excellence on biosciences, ANDI and any other relevant institutions to capture concerns of Member States and Development Partners in order to avoid duplication. A framework ‘African Union Science and Technology Framework for detection, Identification and monitoring of Infectious Diseases of Human, Animals and Plants in Africa’ was developed and sent to Member States, NEPAD Agency, partners and other stakeholders for consultations and their concerns were incorporated into the final document with a view to avoiding duplication of work. The document is ready for consideration and subsequent endorsement of AMCOST V

  31. Review of the CPA The Bureau endorsed the review process of the CPA and emphasized that it be carried out inclusively with the highest level of professionalism.  The outputs of the review process should include a narrative of achievements of the CPA, a revised CPA and roadmap for action. AMCOST IV Bureau committed to oversee the CPA review process and that the report should be submitted to AMCOST V meeting for consideration and recommendation to AU Summit for adoption. Progress was made in the review of the CPA which will be presented during the AMCOST V. Series of meetings with working group and high level panel members were held.

  32. Review of CPA The Bureau approved the proposed structure for the CPA review and further directed that the number of members on the High Level Panel be reduced by (i) restricting Member States representation to the five countries serving on the AMCOST IV Bureau and (ii) avoiding double representation by regional agencies and partners on the Working Group and High Level Panel. AMCOST IV Bureau further requested AUC and NEPAD Agency to expedite the appointment of the members of the High Level Panel Members of the high level panel were appointed and they held two meetings

  33. Review of CPA The Bureau Members committed to provide support in kind and in cash for the costs of the review process, nomination of panel members from each of the five AMCOST IV Bureau Member States, voluntary contributions to the CPA review process which will include meeting full costs of participation of AMCOST Bureau members to the meetings of the review process and expenses associated with hosting meetings in the countries of AMCOST Steering Committee and Bureau members. About 4 meetings of working group and high level panel were organized for the CPA review . One of such meeting was held and hosted in Alexandria, Egypt, and Sandton, SA with the support of DST, SA

  34. Specialized Technical committee The Bureau noted the restructuring of the ministerial conferences into Specialized Technical Committees (STCs) and expressed concern on the potential implications the proposed reconfiguration may have on AMCOST. The AUC was requested to provide further clarification on the matter before AMCOST V meeting. AMCOST will be under the STC on Education and Science. Decision from the July 2012 summit requested the implementation of the decision on STC to be effective from 2014.

  35. Working group on space science & applications The Bureau requested the AUC to establish the Space Science Working Group (WG) comprising of the members of the African Leadership Conference on Space Science and Technology, and National Space Agencies. Further called upon the Working Group to develop a concept document on all space activities and initiatives in the continent to be presented at the AMCOST V meeting Setting up of the space programmatic platform at the level of AUC Draft TOR of the working group submitted

  36. NPCA Restructuration The Bureau acknowledged the on-going restructuring in the NEPAD Agency but expressed concerns on the coordination of STI programmes and reporting of progress in the implementation of the CPA flagship projects and the potential implications the process has on prospective financiers. The Bureau requested NEPAD Agency to address the concerns raised by the Member States. The NPCA has established a science and technology hub within the bureau of the CEO to partly address this problem

  37. RECs and STI The Bureau noted the progress reports on science, technology and innovation initiatives being implemented by the REC’s (SADC and COMESA) and further requested the RECs to institutionalize STI at regional level Southern African Development Community RECs to institutionalize STI at regional level Organize a meeting with the RECs back to back with the Regional Award Ceremony

  38. Science and technology cluster The Bureau commended the science, technology and innovation initiatives that are implemented by development partners ; (UNECA), (UNESCO), and (AfDB) and how the activities contribute to the implementation of the CPA. They were further urged to promote synergies and align their programs with the CPA and draw upon the priorities that have been identified by Member States. New dynamism of the S&T cluster. More synergies in program development, planning and implementation Eg. Parliamentarian workshop and capacity building of journalists in science and technology

  39. Thank you

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