Science and Technology for Sustainable Development The African Context Daniel Schaffer, TWAS, ItalySymposium at AAAS Annual Meeting, Boston, USA, 17 February 2008

2 Science 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

3 Science 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. “ ”

4 Science 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

5 Science 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)

6 Science 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

7 Science 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)

8 Science 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

9 Science 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

10 Science 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.

11 Science 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.

12 Science 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

13 Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context Role of science is recognized It’s happening among national science academies. –IAP –NASAC

14 Science 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)

15 Science 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)

16 Science 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

17 Science 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

18 Science 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

19 Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context Challenges Inequality –Sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP increased 3.7% ( ) 5.6% ( ) –40% of people live in extreme poverty Population growth –Africa’s population will double by 2050 reaching 2 billion

20 Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context Challenges Political instability –Kenya, Chad Global environmental problems –Global warming –Desertification –Loss of biodiversity

21 Science 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

22 Science 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?

23 Science and Technology for Sustainable Development: The African Context Speaking today Thomas Egwang African Academy of Sciences Martine Ngobo International Institute of Tropical Agriculture Hans Herren Millennium Institute Phillip Griffiths Science Initiative Group, Institute for Advanced Study Alfred Watkins The World Bank