| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA - AFRICAN STUDIES CENTER |
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ECA/NRD/S&T/ARCST/1 November 1995 UNITED NATIONS
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR AFRICA
6 - 10 November 1995 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
REPORT
ECA/NRD/S&T/ARCST/1 ATTENDANCE AND ORGANIZATION OF WORK
1. The first meeting of the African Regional Conference on Science and Technology (ARCST) was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 6 to 10 November 1995. The meeting was formally opened by Mr. K.Y. Amoako, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa who delivered an opening statement.
2. The meeting was attended by representatives of the following member States of the Commission: Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Cap Verde, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Eriteria, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zaire, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
3. The Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the African Development Bank (ADB)were represented.
4. The following United Nations bodies and specialized agencies were represented: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Health Organisation (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office (UNSO), United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
5. Observers from the following intergovernmental organisations were presently: Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD), and the African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development, and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA)
6. Observers from national and international institutions were also present: World Association of Industrial Technological Research Organization (WAITRO), Carnegie Corporation of New York, Research and Development Forum for Science-Led Development in Africa (RANDFORUM), Technology Assessment Institute, Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and the Regional Centre for Technology Management (RECTEM)
7. The Conference elected the following officers: Chairman - Namibia (Hon. B.J. Wentworth), First Vice-Chairman, Gabon( Mr. Roger Layaud), Second Vice-Chairman, Tanzania (Dr. Yadon Kohi), First Rapporteur, Tunisia ( Prof. Refaat Chaabouni), Second Rapporteur, Guinea (Mr. Sny Facine Sylla)
8. The Conference also elected the following officers
to the Drafting Committee, Chairman - Ghana (Prof.
W.S. Alhassan), Members, Zambia (Dr. Nicholas Lubaba),
Algeria (Mr. Boualen Tatch), Gabon (Mr. Roger Layaud)
and Guinea (Mr. S.F. Sylla)
9. The Conference adopted the following Agenda.
1. Opening of the meeting
2. Election of the Bureau
3. Adoption of the Agenda, Programme of Work, Rules of Procedure
4. African Regional Conference on Science and Technology for Development: itsorigin, scope, and modalities of work
5. Capacity building in science and technology: selected issues
(a) Contribution of foreign direct investments to science and technology in Africa;
(b) Incentives for development and application of science and technology;
(c) Science and technology indicators for Africa;
(d) Nuclear science and technology for development;
(e) Technology transfer, negotiation and acquisition in the context of promoting the African Economic Community;
(f) Science and Technology Protocol of the African Economic Community;
(g) Sub-regional policy and cooperation in science and technology: contribution of the science and technology Working Groups;
6. ECA programme in Science and technology during 1996-1997
7. Global and regional initiatives and trends in science and technology and their implications on African member States.
8. Any other business
9. Adoption of report
10. Closure of the meeting
10. In his opening statement, Mr. Amoako, Executive Secretary extended a warm welcome to all participants and expressed his appreciation to the Governments and organizations they represented for their solidarity with the Commission and its Secretariat. He underscored the role of the African Regional Conference on Science and Technology in promoting the development and application of science and technology in the African member States, and called upon the meeting to evolve appropriate modalities for its operation.
11. The Executive Secretary presented an overview of the serious economic and social plight faced by the African countries. Against this background many countries had embarked upon social and economic reforms and other measures to stimulate their economies. In this regard he underscored the recent and significant initiative taken in March 1995 by the extra-ordinary session of the OAU Council of Ministers, of Relaunching Africa's Economic and Social Development: The Cairo Agenda for Action which was subsequently adopted in the June 1995 Summit of African Heads of State and Government. The Cairo Agenda reaffirmed that Africa's responsibility rested in the Governments and people of Africa, and that priority should be given to the implementation of strategies and programmes for the development of African countries which had been adopted at the national, regional and continental levels.
12. He then briefly reviewed the role of governments and the ECA, and the past efforts by African member States to promote the development and application of science and technology which by and large had ignored the organic link between science and technology policies and the economic policies. He called for policy reforms which would strengthen this link and redirect the science and technology systems to the problems faced by the African societies. Fresh attempts must be made to create a sound science and technology base paying special attention to the development of the necessary skills among the population, and to apply appropriate incentives for ensuring increased investment in the development and application of science and technology. He called upon each African country to evolve a long term vision of its future thereby providing a basis for the development of national policies and strategies. There was no doubt that science and technology would play a major role for the realization of such a vision.
13. He reiterated the necessity for all the African countries to lend practical support to the strategy of regional cooperation especially in a world which is increasingly transforming into bigger economic blocks. The ultimate attainment of the African Economic Community was a supreme objective in this regard. Africa's hope lay in a more aggressive acquisition and application of technologies in production, adding value to its natural resources, and in strengthening links with the rest of the world. Finally he urged the participants to contribute meaningfully to the deliberations.
The African Regional Conference: its origin scope, and modalities of work (Agenda item 4)
14. Under this agenda item, the Conference considered document ARCST/1/4 entitled "African Regional Conference on Science and Technology: its origin, scope and modalities of work which was presented by a representative of the secretariat. The Regional Conference was established by Commission resolution 757(XXVIII) in May 1993 as the only subsidiary organ of the Commission in the area of science and technology. It replaced the former Intergovernmental Committee of Experts for Science and Technology Development (IGCESTD) and incorporated the Technical Advisory Committee on Nuclear Science and Technology in Africa (TACNUSTA). He then outlined the contribution of the IGCESTD to regional policies in science and technology, and the initiatives taken by the member States which led to its upgrading to a Regional Conference.
15. He drew special attention to the terms of reference of the Regional conference and invited the meeting to reflect on their implication to its future activities. He also elaborated on the operational modalities of the Regional Conference as provided in Commission Resolution 757(XXVII) with respect to membership of the Regional Conference, periodicity of its meetings, role of national focal points, and working groups, and invited the meeting to make observations and recommendations to the ECA Conference of Ministers.
16. In the ensuing debate participants raised several important points. The meeting applauded the setting up of the African Regional conference which provided a key intergovernmental machinery by which science and technology issues can be brought to the attention of the Commission, and through which member States can evolve common approaches to issues confronted by their respective countries. With respect to the specific items in the paper the meeting preferred the following views and recommendations.
17. Terms of Reference: The meeting stressed that some of the terms of reference needed to be expanded to indicate in a more explicit manner the implication of each of the five specific provisions. In addition it was proposed that the terms of reference be expanded to reflect "women" concerns, especially taking into account the outcome of the Beijing Conference on Women and to include the scientific and technological databanks and information system. Section (b) required expansion by the addition of "programmes" at the end of the sentence.
18. With regard to Section(c) on resource mobilization the meeting noted that supplementary funding for UNECA science and technology programme is secured through the UNTFAD and bilateral support both of which could be further strengthened through increased member States support to this effect. It was also noted that resource mobilization for the execution of projects could be available through the normal channels operated by the African Development Bank. It was stressed that the Regional Conference should concentrate on selected issues and make use of existing institutions operating in other technical fields e.g. nuclear science and technology.
19. An important question was raised on the need for the Regional Conference to consider the question of ways and means of attaining its goals. Furthermore the procedural question of decision taking, whether by consensus or otherwise, needed to be settled.
20. Modalities of the Regional Conference The meeting stressed that the Regional Conference should provide an opportunity for delegations to present resums of progress reports on experiences and activities and programmes in their respective countries. It was indicated that this could be achieved through their intervention on specific items of the agenda or by providing background written information which could be circulated to all participants thereby avoiding the necessity for verbal presentation which could not be accommodated in the normal time frame for the meeting.
21. National Focal points (NFPs): The meeting reaffirmed the important role to be played by these institutions and in facilitating communications and contacts amongst member States and between them and the ECA secretariat. It was stressed that the (NFPs) would reinforce the conventional diplomatic channels of communication between the ECA secretariat and the member State. A strong concern was expressed regarding the necessity for commitment at the highest level of Government in matters of science and technology. Such commitment and assumption of responsibility for science and technology at the level of a President or Prime Minister paid dividends in India and the South East Asian countries and African countries needed to emulate such successful practices. Some African countries have already followed this direction. The meeting noted that a programme of Presidential Forum under the RANDFORUM had begun to whip the interest of Heads of States and Government to the centrality of science and technology in the development processes. It was also noted that the third Presidential Forum held in Kampala in July 1995 had stressed that the ECA was the appropriate institution to spearhead commercialization of R&D in the African region and to facilitate communication across borders between and amongst the member States.
22. The meeting stressed that the ongoing R&D activities in individual member states required a drastic reorientation so as to achieve a better link with industry and contribute to innovation, as well as new and better products for the economy at large. In a related issue the training of manpower for science and technology should pay special attention to middle level technicians and vocational artisanal groups necessary to undertake important functions in the industrialization process on the continent.
23. The meeting noted that the ARCST could have both subregional working groups and sectoral working groups. Existing subregional working groups of the former Intergovernmental committee could now operate as subregional meetings of the ARCST.
Contribution of foreign direct investment to science and technology in Africa (Agenda item 5.a)
24. This agenda item was introduced by a member of the Secretariat. There are close relations between foreign direct investment, technological capacity and international competitiveness. These relations have attracted a great deal of interest in the last few years and a growing literature has emerged on the subject. Often, the quickest if not the only way to get a particular technology is through foreign direct investment (FDI), including joint ventures. This form of technology transfer is non-debt creating and gives rapid access to finance, technology, technical knowledge, management expertise and international markets. It also strengthen the linkages between the global science and technology system and the host country.
25. In most countries of Africa the level of FDI has declined since the beginning of the '80s and is now at a very low level. Africa is now attracting a total amount of FDI comparable to the amount attracted by a small country such as Singapore, and these flows are concentrated in a few countries and in a few sectors (mainly the resource's sectors, particularly oil and mining). In contrast, newly industrializing countries of Asia and Latin America are relying heavily on FDI to strengthen technological capacity, spur economic growth and create jobs, and the flows are more diversified.
26. The recent surge of interest for FDI in Africa can be attributed to a variety of factors, including the general disillusionment with import substitution strategies, the limited benefit of national ownership, the marginal impact of local research and development effort on national economies, the difficulty to integrate national economies into the world economy, the diminishing flows of commercial loans, the decline of official development aid, the growing emergence of some developing countries as purveyor of FDI and the necessity and high cost of networking and linking with the world technological innovators.
27. African countries can increase their success in attracting FDI if they can provide a competitive policy regime that is transparent, stable, welcoming and efficiently administered, an adequate physical infrastructure, particularly in transport and communication, a reliable network of suppliers, a dynamic financial system and a good array of technological support services.
28. Discussions that followed were very rich and informative. Some of the points which were highlighted included the following. Transnational corporations do not have the same objectives as the host country, particularly in matter of jobs creation. Existing technological capacities are not always a prerequisite or a condition to attract FDI and at a certain level of development a country needs to become part of a larger trading bloc in order to be able to attract FDI. The size of the market of the host country is not relevant if the production facility is mainly operated for the export market. Immigration issues are improving, particularly at the subregional level. In general, member States are sensitized to the importance and benefits of FDI and the major difficulty is to design and implement policy reforms to improve the investment climate. ECA should provide policy guidelines in this matter. Some African countries, including particularly South Africa, could be important purveyor of FDI. The most important factors for the localization of FDI are: political stability, labour conditions, availability of skilled manpower, investment policies and the right to repatriate profits.
29. In conclusion, it is hoped that the role of FDI in technological capacity building will be better understood and that concrete measures will be taken at country level to improve the level of investments in technology in order to activate economic growth.
Incentives for development and application of science and technology (Item 5.b)
30. A representative of the secretariat introduced this item. He said that one of the main reasons why African countries are unable to develop and apply science and technology is because the incentive system offered to business enterprises, entrepreneurs, investors, scientists and technologists, etc. is often not adequate. There is need for governments to review their incentive packages and legislate so that different forms of incentives are available to the technology developers and users.
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