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Sospeter Muhongo Director, ICSU-Regional Office for Africa (E-mail: s.muhongo@icsu-africa)

The Role of the ICSU Regional Office for Africa in Sustainable Development of the Sub-Saharan Africa. Sospeter Muhongo Director, ICSU-Regional Office for Africa (E-mail: s.muhongo@icsu-africa.org) CODATA WORKSHOP 05-07 September 2005 Pretoria (South Africa).

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Sospeter Muhongo Director, ICSU-Regional Office for Africa (E-mail: s.muhongo@icsu-africa)

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  1. The Role of the ICSU Regional Office for Africa in Sustainable Development of the Sub-Saharan Africa Sospeter Muhongo Director, ICSU-Regional Office for Africa (E-mail: s.muhongo@icsu-africa.org) CODATA WORKSHOP 05-07 September 2005 Pretoria (South Africa)

  2. 2003: Facts and Figures fromthe Sub-Saharan Africa Population: ca. 703 millions Annual Population Growth: 2.1% Life Expectance at Birth: 45.8 years Mortality rate: (infants per 1000 live births): 103.1 Prevalence of HIV/AIDS: % age of population aged 15-49: ca 8.5%

  3. Economic Status Africa’s total public and private foreign debt is estimated at about US$ 500 billion GNI: ca. US dollars 400 billion GNI per capita: ca. US dollars 490

  4. The Harsh Reality • About 40% of Sub-Saharan Africa (ca 250 million people) lives in absolute poverty • About 58% of Sub-Saharan African children are annually enrolled in primary schools • By January 2000, 73% of Somalia’s children were undernourished

  5. Millennium Goals • Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger • Achieve universal primary education • Promote gender equality • Reduce child mortality • Improve maternal health • Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases • Ensure environmental sustainability • Develop a Global Partnership for Development

  6. 2000: World GDP, Population, R&D Global-Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD): 2000- US$ 746 billion 1997- US$ 547 billion World Researchers: 1997 – Developing Countries: 28% 1985 - “ 12%

  7. 2000: Shares of World GERD (by region)

  8. 2000: Shares of World GERD % age

  9. 2000: Researchers per million inhabitants

  10. Water Resources(Safe Drinking Water)

  11. Groundwater: Over 95% of the Earth’s useable fresh water is stored as groundwater Transborder groundwater resources

  12. Annual Fertilizer Use(kg/hectare of cropland) Million of Tractors Tractors Fertilizer

  13. World’s Commercial Energy (Production & Consumption)

  14. Energy ResourcesPhanerozoic Energy Resources • Fossil Energy:gas, petroleum, coal • Primary Energy:hydro, geothermal, nuclear (U-ores) • Sea-bed energy source (future?) • Energy reserves equivalent to all oil, gas and coal on the planet Earth lie beneath the sea-bed • Huge amounts of METHANE GAS trapped by water molecules at super-high pressure (>50 atms/2500C) are found on the deep ocean sea-bed • 1 cc of gas hydrate holds up to 60 cc of methane • NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES:global warming high sea-level changes (tidal waves)

  15. Africa’s Reserves of Selected Industrial Minerals World’s Share (%)

  16. Industrialization in Africa Industrial Materials • Gypsum: inland lake deposits: agriculture/cement/chalk/plaster of Paris • Ceramic Clays: kaolin paper industry/refractory/pottery/fired clay bricks • Limestone & Marble: tiles/lime (Au-processing, road stabilization, water purification) • Bauxite: water purification/source of Al • Volcanic tuff/pozzolana:construction of better houses

  17. STRATEGIC METALS The New Information and Communication Technology (NICT) industrial sector is highly dependent on the supply of strategic metals such as: Indium (In):Mobile electronics, Semi-Conductors Tantalum (Ta):Laptop computers, and other electronics (e.g. Telephones) Platinum:Exhaust catalysers for petrol engines (60%) Palladium: Exhaust catalysers for diesel engines (50%) Scandium & Rhenium metals: superalloy industry

  18. Environmental Problems: Man-made Hazards • Water Pollution:heavy metals & toxic elements • Deforestation:aridity, soil erosion, landslides • Siltation:rivers, lakes, water pipes, dams • Disposal of Tailings:mining waste disposal • Acid Drainage:source: mines, chemical industries, etc • Destruction of Eco-systems: ● sand-gravel mining ● construction of dams and houses ● over-harvesting of eatable animal & plant species Social Problems: Child labour, Health Care, Immigration problems

  19. Natural Hazards: predictions(Geo-Information) • Earthquakes • Volcanoes • Landslides • Floods • Collapse of Constructions: Engineering Geology • Sea Level Changes: Tsunamis, Hurricanes, Tornadoes • Global Warming: Greenhouses gases • Solar System:Fall of Meteorites

  20. Environmental Problems: Air Pollution Total CO2 emissions

  21. PRIORITY AREAS OF THE ICSU REGIONAL OFFICE ■ health and human-well being ■ sustainable energy ■ natural and man-induced hazards ■ global climate change Concomitant programs: cross–cutting projects: ♦ well-functioning secretariat ♦ increase and sustain membership from Africa ♦ promote the formation of African Networks of scientists ♦ data base of African scientists, including those in diaspora ♦ capacity building & maintenance ♦ promotion of constructive indigenous science, knowledge and skills ♦ gender balance ♦ outreach (advocacy) activities

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