Science and Technology Science and Technology for Sustainable for Sustainable Development Development The African The African Context Context Daniel Schaffer, TWAS, Italy Symposium at AAAS Annual Meeting, Boston, USA, 17 February 2008
Dec 25, 2015
Science and TechnologyScience and Technologyfor Sustainable Development for Sustainable Development
The African ContextThe African Context
Daniel Schaffer, TWAS, Italy Symposium at AAAS Annual Meeting, Boston, USA, 17 February 2008
2Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development
Millennium Development Goals
3Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Africa and the MDGs, UN, 2007 update
Millennium Development Goals
At midway point between their adoption in 2000 and 2015 target date for achieving the MDGs, sub-Saharan Africa is not on track to achieve any of the goals ...
Even the best governed countries on the continent have not been able to make sufficient progress in reducing extreme poverty in its many forms.
“”
4Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Africa: Facts and Figures
• 35 of the world’s 50 least developed countries
• 70% of all Africans live on less than $2 a day
• 26.5 million Africans are infected with HIV, and 2.5 million die each year of AIDS
• 70% of Africans do not have electricity
5Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Poverty
• MDGs: Reduce by half the number of people living in extreme poverty
• Africa: Down 5% from 46% (1999) to 41% (2004)
6Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Child Mortality
• MDGs: Reduce by two-thirds the mortality rate of children under 5
• Africa: Down 10% from 185 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 166 in 2005
7Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Safe Drinking Water
• MDGs: Reduce by half the number of people without access to safe drinking water
• Africa: Population using safe drinking water up 7% from 49% (1990) to 56% (2004)
8Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Contribution of STI to MDGs
• MDGs will not be met without:– strong capacity to generate and utilize STI – international partnerships to build and sustain this
capacity in poor countries
9Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Contribution of STI to MDGs
• STI capacity in Africa must focus on: – strategies that take advantage of existing
science and technology and that meet Africa’s critical social and economic needs
– Africa’s wealth of traditional knowledge, often based on proven but yet to be scientifically verified information/data/experience
– new fields of science and cutting-edge technologies that have important applications for poverty alleviation and sustainable development
10Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
For the first time in a long time...
• Science in sub-Saharan Africa is being recognized as a key element for sustained growth.
• And the focus on MDGs has something to do with this.
11Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Role of science is recognized
• It’s happening at the international level.– Intense focus on MDGs (UNDP, WHO,
World Bank)– G8 (Gleneagles Summit in 2005)
• It’s happening among aid agencies.– Scandinavian aid agencies targeting funds
for LDCs, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
12Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Role of science is recognized
• It’s happening among foundations.– Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
(focus on public health and agricultural development)
• It’s happening among developing countries.– Brazil’s cooperation with Portuguese-
speaking countries in Africa– China’s Development Fund for Africa
13Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Role of science is recognized
• It’s happening among national science academies.– IAP– NASAC
14Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Role of science is recognized
• And, most importantly, it’s happening in Africa itself.– Launch of NEPAD, the New Partnership for
Africa’s Development (2001)– Creation of Africa’s first presidential
committee STI in Nigeria (2002)– Establishment of African Ministerial Council
on S&T (2003)
15Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Role of science is recognized
• And, most importantly, it’s happening in Africa itself.– Publication of Africa’s S&T Consolidated
Plan of Action (2006)– African Union Summit dedicated to STI
(2007)– ‘Science With Africa’
Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia(March 2008)
16Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Role of science is recognized
• Several African countries have substantially increased investment in S&T– Ghana– Kenya– Nigeria– Rwanda– South Africa– Tanzania– Uganda– Zambia
17Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Role of science is recognized
• Malawi: Raising agricultural productivity• Niger, Togo, Zanzibar: Controlling
malaria• Zambia: Broadening access to basic
rural health services• Niger: Reforestation• Senegal, Uganda: Increasing access to
safe drinking water and sanitation
18Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
• Several African countries are investing in cutting-edge science– ICTs: Nigeria, Rwanda– Biotech: South Africa, Uganda– Space S&T: Nigeria– Nanotech: South Africa
Role of science is recognized
19Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Challenges
• Inequality– Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP increased
• 3.7% (2000-2003)• 5.6% (2004-2006)
– 40% of people live in extreme poverty
• Population growth– Africa’s population will double by 2050
reaching 2 billion
20Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Challenges
• Political instability– Kenya, Chad
• Global environmental problems– Global warming– Desertification– Loss of biodiversity
21Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Beyond MDGs and benchmarks
• MDGs have helped focus global attention on problems of poverty and development– providing way to measure progress
• MDGs have also energized nations, funders and institutions – providing valuable experience on what
works and what doesn’t work
22Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Key question
• How to build scientific and technology capacity in ways that reduce poverty and create wealth on a sustainable basis?
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23Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context
Speaking today
• Thomas EgwangAfrican Academy of Sciences
• Martine NgoboInternational Institute of Tropical Agriculture
• Hans HerrenMillennium Institute
• Phillip GriffithsScience Initiative Group, Institute for Advanced Study
• Alfred WatkinsThe World Bank