International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane to address BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation meeting
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, is scheduled to speak at the BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation ministerial meeting in Cape Town on 10 February 2014.
This meeting originates within the context of the First Summit of the BRICS Leaders held in 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia, where the Leaders at that time envisaged cooperation in the field of Science, Technology and Innovation with the aim to engage in fundamental research and development of advanced technologies.
The theme for the first Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting, i.e. “A Strategic Partnership for Equitable Growth and Sustainable Development”, presents BRICS with a unique opportunity to address, on the one hand, the challenges of global competitiveness and leadership in frontier sciences and new technologies, and enhance, on the other, equitable growth and sustainable development through strategic cooperation in the fields of science, technology and innovation.
The First BRICS Science, Technology and Innovation Ministerial Meeting will play a pivotal role in deliberating the BRICS implementation framework for science, technology and innovation. This strategic framework will serve to clearly define the modalities and operational instruments to support STI cooperation within the framework of BRICS. In connection herewith there is already broad agreement amongst the BRICS partners on possible priority areas for BRICS STI cooperation.
These include, amongst others, exchange of information on Science, Technology and Innovation policies and programmes and promotion of innovation; food security and sustainable agriculture; climate change and natural disaster mitigation; new and renewable energy and energy conservation; nanotechnology; basic research; space, aeronautics, astronomy and earth observation; medicine and biotechnology; water resources and pollution treatment; high-technology zones/science parks and technology incubators; and technology and knowledge transfer.
Therefore the first BRICS ministerial meeting in this strategic sector will convey a very important signal to the global community regarding the positive role that BRICS wish to play to promote cooperation to ensure equitable growth and sustainable development.
The meeting in Cape Town will also ensure innovative complementarities vis-à-vis the key outcomes of the Fifth BRICS Summit, i.e. enhanced cooperation with Africa, notably regarding increased access to technology as well as the launch of the BRICS Business Council and the BRICS Think Tanks Council.
For further information:
Clayson Monyela, DIRCO Spokesperson
Cell: 082 884 5974
