Innovation ecosystems in Sub-Saharan Africa: the path towards localised STI for SDGs roadmaps
- 12 Jul 2022
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Virtual Meeting (WebEx)
The 1.5-hour side event will be held virtually on the margins of the HLPF 2022. The first part of the event will be the occasion to share the overview on STI performances in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the second part, countries developing their STI for SDGs roadmaps in the context of the Global Pilot Programme, as well as countries willing to engage in the process will share their experiences, achievements, and expectations. Discussants will provide their reflections on the way forward and suggest their perspectives on actions to apply the lessons learnt in Sub-Saharan Africa while scaling up the work on STI for SDGs Roadmaps. The floor will be open for questions of participants through the WebEx chat box.
The event aims at:
- Sharing progress and achievements in the development of STI for SDGs roadmaps in the context of the Global Pilot Programme.
- Discussing needs, challenges and expectations for the development of STI for SDGs roadmaps with a specific focus on the African context, taking into account recovery plans to build back better from COVID-19 and the present risk of energy and food crisis.
- Providing insights on the next steps for further applications of STI for SDGs roadmaps and development of the Partnership in Action
Co-organized by
Serbia Mission to UN, European Commission - Joint Research Centre, UN-DESA, UNESCO
Time:
7:30am-9:00am EDT
1:30pm-3:00pm CEST
Programme
12 July 2022
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(5 minutes)Welcome and opening remarks
Moderator:
Dr. Quarraisha Abdool Karim, Associate Scientific Director of CAPRISA; Professor in Clinical Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, Pro-Vice Chancellor for African Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, co-chair of the 10-Member Group to support the TFMWelcome and opening remarks
Mr. Alessandro Rainoldi, Head of Territorial Development Unit, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
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(15 minutes)Keynote speech: STI performances and SDGs achievement in selected Sub-Saharan African countries
Dr Chux Daniels, Research Fellow in STI Policy at SPRU, University of Sussex, UK and Director of the Transformative Innovation Policy Consortium (TIPC) Africa Hub
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(15 minutes)Lessons learnt on the development of STI for SDGs roadmaps, the Global Pilot Programme and the Partnership in Action
Panelists (5 minutes each):
Dr Viktor Nedović, Director of Serbia Accelerating Innovation and Entrepreneurship Project – SAIGE, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Serbia
Dr Agnes Lutomiah, Chief of STI Unit, African Centre for Technology Studies, Kenya
Dr Wilhemina Quaye, Director, CSIR-Science and Technology Policy Research Institute, Ghana -
(20 minutes)Needs and challenges on the design of STI for SDGs roadmaps in Sub-Saharan Africa
Panelists (4 minutes each):
Mr Mucktarr Darboe MY - Director Science, Technology and Innovation - Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, The Gambia
Mr Louis Sibomana, Head Of Department, Science, Technology Development and Outreach, National Council for Science and Technology (NCST), Rwanda
Dr Joseph Nagoli, Director of Knowledge and Learning of the National Planning Commission, Malawi
Dr. Nhlanhla Lupahla, General Manager, National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST), Namibia
Professor Anthony M. Mshandete, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation, Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Tanzania
Presentation -
(30 minutes)Discussion on the and way forward for further applications and development of the Partnership in Action
Discussants (2-3 minutes each):
Mr Hambani Masheleni, Head of STI Division, African Union Commission
Dr. Tichaona Mangwende, Programme Manager, AUDA-NEPAD
Dr Monika Matusiak, Team leader of Smart Specialisation and Global Outreach, Joint Research Centre, European Commission
Mr Victor Konde, Scientific Affairs Officer, UNECA
Ms Kornelia Tzinova, Associate Programme Specialist, Section for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, UNESCO
Mr Fernando Santiago, Industrial Policy Officer, UNIDO
Q&A session with the public (through WebEx chat box)
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(5 minutes)Closing remarks
Mr Wei Liu, Coordinator, UN Inter-agency Task Team on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs, UNDESA
Practical Information
- When
- 12 Jul 2022
- Where
-
Virtual Meeting (WebEx)
- Registration Information
Description
The 2030 Agenda for sustainable development highlighted the role of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) as key means to promote the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, the Annual Multi-stakeholder Forums for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI Forum), supported by the Inter-Agency Task Team on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs (IATT) advocated for an increased mobilization of STI towards the SDGs. STI for SDGs Roadmaps are fully recognized as suitable instruments that can be used by countries to integrate SDGs in STI policy agendas. In 2021, two UN General Assembly resolutions (A/RES/75/316 and A/RES/76/213), recognized this role and advocated for increased partnerships and collaborations.
STI for SDGs Roadmaps are operational and concrete action plans and strategies useful in strengthening national, regional and local STI systems for SDGs and in effectively mobilizing national efforts and resources. The roadmaps also offer opportunities for countries’ ownership and strengthening of capacities, as well as for international partnerships to harness STI for the achievement of the SDGs.
In 2019, the IATT launched the Global Pilot Programme on STI for SDGs Roadmaps with an initial group of five pilot countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya and Serbia). In February 2021, Ukraine also joined the programme bringing the number of pilot countries to six. The programme supports pilot countries in developing their STI for SDGs roadmaps following the framework described in the "Guidebook for the Preparation of STI for SDGs Roadmaps". The Guidebook is accompanied by two background papers: on available STI roadmapping methodologies and international partnerships . The advancement and achievements on the development of STI for SDGs roadmaps in the six pilot countries are described in the Progress Report.
Following the successful experience of the Global Pilot Programme, driven by the need to facilitate experience sharing and to allow more countries to engage in the development of roadmaps, the “Partnership in Action” was launched co-lead by Serbia and Ghana at the UN STI Forum in May 2022.
As more countries are expressing interest in the development of STI for SDGs roadmaps, additional initiatives and programmes are now being carried out. In 2022, the Join Research Centre together with Directorate General for International Partnerships of the European Commission launched a project on STI for SDGs roadmaps in Sub-Saharan Africa, which focuses on the design of roadmaps in up to 5 countries in the region.
The event is the occasion to share preliminary findings on the analysis of innovation ecosystems in Africa, as well as at sharing experiences and the expectations of pilot countries.
In this context, the Permanent Mission of Serbia to the United Nations, in collaboration with EC/JRC, UN-DESA, and UNESCO organizes the event “Innovation ecosystems in Sub-Saharan Africa: the path towards localised STI for SDGs roadmaps” at the margins of the High-Level Political Forum 2022 (HLPF 2022).
This event builds on the work of the UN Inter-Agency Task Team sub-working group on STI for SDGs Roadmaps co-led by UN-DESA, UNESCO, EC/JRC, the World Bank, and UNCTAD.