M Mangena: African Ministerial Conference on Science and
Technology

14 November 2007

Honourable Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology,
Professor Nagia M Essayed
Honourable Ministers responsible for Science and Technology
Excellencies
Ladies and gentlemen

Our continent's Consolidated Plan of Action for Science and Technology is
based on our vision of an Africa that is free of poverty and well integrated
into the global economy. This plan is intended to harness and apply science and
technology to contribute to the global pool of scientific knowledge and
technological innovations. I believe this third AMCOST will provide us with
greater opportunities to pursue, with increased vigour, our agenda for driving
science and technology, knowledge production and innovation systems across our
continent.

We should be proud of our efforts reported at the first two AMCOST meetings
and build on the commitment made by our Heads of State in January, when they
declared 2007 the Year of Science and Technology. As AMCOST III progresses and
as we work towards building science and technology constituencies that could
turn the tide of poverty, we should begin interrogating solutions we proposed
for strengthening our ability to implement the Consolidated Plan of Action.

In doing this, we should bear in mind what we need to implement our science
agenda for the continent, which includes human capital development, continental
science infrastructure, research, development and innovation policies, finance
mechanisms and our determination to co-operate and share our experience with
each other in pursuit of sustainable growth and development. I am convinced
that this third AMCOST meeting is a step towards implementing our visionary
plan of action, and will give impetus to the process of strengthening our
science and technology capacity in Africa.

South Africa is proud to participate in this African Union (AU) platform,
which continues to provide strategic leadership, and build an enabling policy
environment for science and technology to improve the African condition.
Africa's Consolidated Plan of Action aims, among other things, to address
Africa's local needs, build strong African institutions geared towards
knowledge production and application, cultivate Africa's skills pool, develop
an enabling policy environment, and embrace and nurture regional integration
and diversity.

I have no doubt that these principles have assisted in bringing about our
success in rolling out the Plan on the continent. I am sure that these
objectives will form a basis for our engagement on further refinement of our
initiatives at this conference. South Africa, in partnership with all our peers
on the African continent, has contributed to the establishment of successful
networks of excellence across Africa such as the African Laser Centre, the
African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, and the Southern African Network
for Biosciences.

These and others have already proven to be centres of intense knowledge
production. Africa's emphasis on the training and production of scientists and
engineers whose work is rooted in Africa's needs thus continues. In order to
achieve excellence in our research endeavours, more needs to be done to ensure
we provide globally competitive teaching at undergraduate level. Research in
Africa has evolved and become a collective enterprise.

Today, knowledge is produced by networks of researchers. In most cases,
these knowledge-producing networks are virtual and spread across different
countries and continents. It is particularly pleasing to see African
universities strengthening partnerships in so many fields, including
engineering, health sciences, humanities and the social sciences. There is no
doubt that the combination of natural and engineering sciences with the social
and human sciences is extremely important for fostering innovation across our
continent.
AMCOST continues to ensure that our scientific and technological innovation
optimises the impact of our initiatives to enhance sustainable development in
Africa. More work needs to be done, and we must continue to build networks and
centres of excellence.

Colleagues, the third AMCOST conference provides us with opportunities for
multidisciplinary engagement on many dimensions of sustainable development in
the continent. This multi-disciplinary approach should spawn new and ingenious
ideas that will create further innovation pathways. The importance of an
integrated approach in generating knowledge for sustainable development can
hardly be over-emphasised. Effective interventions to deal with challenges
facing the continent, such as poverty, disease and the shortage of skills, will
be difficult to achieve through isolated sectoral programmes and
strategies.

We are convinced that the foundation for the sustainable development in
Africa lies in multidisciplinary, inter-regional, country-to-country,
institution-to-institution and people-to-people co-operation within the context
of integrated national, regional and even continental policies and strategies.
Greater emphasis should be placed on integrative approaches in all strategic,
policy and decision-making structures.

Allow me to refer to some of South Africa's achievements in the past two
years:

1. International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
(ICGEB)

In our quest to position Africa as a preferred science destination, I am
proud to report on the progress achieved in South Africa since we won the bid
to host the African and Third Component of the International Centre for Genetic
Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in November 2007. The third ICGEB
component is located at the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular
Medicine at the University of Cape Town. The component was officially
inaugurated by President Thabo Mbeki, in September 2007. I have no doubt we
will continue to work to build African capacity in biotechnology.

2. Information, communication and space science technologies

Space science technologies and their applications remain central to solving
some of the pressing problems Africa faces. In addition, such technologies can
bring many social benefits, such as ensuring safety and security, providing
energy, protecting the ecosystem and conserving biodiversity. This is why South
Africa was proud to co-ordinate the 2005 space audit in the Southern African
region. We believe that this will go a long way towards ensuring that Africa is
recognised as a continent with a strong foundation for space science.

3. The Square Kilometre Array (SKA)

I would like to apprise you of developments regarding South Africa's bid to
host the Square Kilometre Array Telescope. As you know, in 2006, South Africa
and Australia were the two countries short listed by the International Square
Kilometre Array Steering Committee to host this mega telescope. The Southern
African region has some of the best astronomical viewing conditions in the
world. South Africa sees this bid as an African bid, and the telescope as an
instrument that has the capacity to solve global problems related to the nature
and history of the universe, fundamental physics and astronomy. Hence, through
our collective efforts in this initiative and the sharing of resources and
information, we could achieve great things for Africa and the world.

In 2004, South Africa initiated a bursary and travel grant programme
primarily to support the SKA and other radio astronomy instruments in Southern
Africa.
The objective of the programme is to build human capacity in the field of
astronomy and related disciplines such as engineering, computer science and
physics. The SKA Project Office will also be implementing an internship
programme in 2008 to increase the number of skilled scientists, engineers and
technicians available to support the SKA during construction and operation.

South Africa is also preparing for 2009; the year that United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) decided would be the
International Year of Astronomy. The year after next will see a global
celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture and we
hope it will stimulate the interest of young people in astronomy and science
under its central theme "The universe, yours to discover".

4. Group on Earth Observation (GEO) Ministerial Summit

Following the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, and in order
to address the global need for co-ordinated observations of the state of our
planet, the earth observation community has established the intergovernmental
Group on Earth Observation (GEO). The initial steps were taken four years ago,
with international political support. And after a series of summits held in
Washington DC in 2003, in Tokyo in 2004 and in Brussels in 2005, the GEO was
formed.

The Group on Earth Observations was established to implement the 10-year
plan to build a Global Earth Observation System of Systems. In 2005, ministers
committed themselves to meeting in 2007 to review progress. So far, 71
countries have endorsed the 10-year GEO plan and become members, and the
European Commission and 46 participating organisations are also
collaborating.

The next GEO Ministerial Summit will be held in Cape Town from 27 to 30
November 2007 and the Ministry of Science and Technology of South Africa has
invited all relevant ministries in the SADC region to attend. It is expected
that the GEO community will showcase both its successes and the challenges of
the future at this Summit.

We can never overstate the central importance of creating partnerships at
regional, continental and global level as key to achieving Africa's science,
technology and innovation goals. We need to promote regional integration at a
bilateral and multilateral level to engage our partners at forums such as the
Group of Eight (G8), Group of 77 (G77) and the United Nations. We need to speak
with a united African voice to ensure sustainable growth and development in
Africa and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

As our Heads of State prepare for the European Union-Africa Summit scheduled
to take place in Lisbon next month, it is incumbent upon us to make certain
that the outcomes of the third AMCOST conference are clearly articulated in
order to strengthen co-operation with the European Union and to advance the
Africa research agenda outlined in the CPA.

We must continue to promote and popularise the CPA in our communities,
research institutions and industry so that our continent can experience wealth
creation and economic development. I am confident that this meeting will
continue to give leadership and guidance in the implementation of the CPA and
promotion of regional integration.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Science and Technology
14 November 2007
Source: Department of Science and Technology (http://www.dst.gov.za)