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Rabat, Morocco,15-17 July 2008

UNECA and Académie Hassan II Expert Meeting Promotion de la recherche et développement en Afrique du Nord. Rabat, Morocco,15-17 July 2008 Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) Reviews for North Africa with reference to STIP Review of Mauritania Michael Lim

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Rabat, Morocco,15-17 July 2008

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  1. UNECA and Académie Hassan IIExpert Meeting Promotion de la recherche et développement en Afrique du Nord Rabat, Morocco,15-17 July 2008 Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) Reviews for North Africa with reference to STIP Review of Mauritania Michael Lim Division on Technology and Logistics UNCTAD

  2. UNCTAD STIP Reviews • Purpose: to assess science, technology and innovation (STI) capabilities and strength of the national system of innovation (NSI). • Usefulness: an analytical tool to assess STI capabilities against needs, challenges and goals; identify strengths and weaknesses, priority areas for action. • Methodological framework: analysis based on innovation systems theory mixed with macroeconomic and microeconomic analysis in a development context. • Reviews completed for Colombia, Jamaica, Iran and Angola. Mauritania and Ghana reviews in progress. Other reviews in the planning stage.

  3. UNCTAD STIP Review Methodology • Discussion with government on STIP Review purpose and process. • Decision on whether to undertake a STIP Review. • Identification of national counterparts. • Selection of industries/issues for analysis with input from relevant stakeholders. • Selection of review team and preparation of background documents with national counterparts. • Mission to country by review team in collaboration with national counterparts. • Preparation of draft report in consultation with national counterparts. • Distribution of advanced draft to stakeholders and discussion in country. • Final draft prepared, published and distributed. • STIP Review used as a reference and discussion document for STI policymakers in formulating STI strategy and policies.

  4. UNCTAD STIP Review of Mauritania • Requested by Government of Mauritania. • Focus on STI capabilities, NSI, mining and oil. As an LDC, access to foreign technology is also key. • Main issue: in a context of many challenges (economic, social and environmental) are current STI capabilities and the NSI adequate? Are they developing quickly enough?

  5. UNCTAD STIP Review of Mauritania: summary of findings • Some progress has been made but STI capabilities are improving too slowly. • The NSI is not fully functional and needs improvement. • Major weaknesses exist in human capital, in STI capabilities (including engineering, entrepreneurship and management), in physical infrastructure (electricity, roads, seaports, water and ICT), in financial sector and financing of R&D and innovation, in linkages between government, public research institutes, university and private sector, in a severe brain drain without significant « brain circulation ». • There is no clear STI strategy at national level. • There are many potential avenues for technology transfer open but STI capabilities are in general inadequate to fully absorb many foreign technologies, and training and R&D are in general not a high priority for most enterprises.

  6. R&D support measures in North Africa • Build human capital, especially STI skills to enable R&D and effective R&D collaboration with others. • Institute public policies to encourage R&D and innovation in order to: overcome technology market imperfections; develop dynamic competitive advantages; and promote technological catchup with more technologically advanced countries • Institute public policies to encourage private sector financing for R&D and innovation and support innovative SMEs (business support services, technology support services). • Improve ICTs access and penetration. • Address the appropriate level of intellectual property (IP) protection. • Promote open access to data and research. • Use standards and the forces of competition to encourage technological upgrading. The latter is already acute in most coountries as a result of globalization (i.e. widespread liberalization of trade, finance and investment policies).

  7. Sources of R&D financing in North Africa • Increase government financing of R&D (domestic). • Increase private sector financing of R&D (domestic). • Increase international aid for R&D (as well as STI and technology acquisition) (including Aid for Trade initiative) (international). • Increase leveraging of existing finance via R&D collaboration domestically and internationally (in North Africa and beyond) (with research institutes, universities, domestic private sector,TNCs, international organizations, diaspora abroad) (domestic and international). • Promote public-private partnerships where useful (domestic and international).

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