By John Churu, Gaborone, Botswana
The World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO) and African Research Organisations are meeting to chart a way forward that will see a transfer of technological knowledge into solutions for the improvement of lives.
The theme for the two day meeting which is taking place in the Botswana capital Gaborone is aptly termed “Transfering Knowledge into solutions, the role of research organisations.” Both English speaking countries and some Lusophone countries are represented here. Both the SADC secretariat and the indiviual governments represented in the meeting all agree that the industrialisation roadmap is driven through innovation driven economies.
“Countries in the region are faced with the challenges of diversifying their economies,” said Annelene Morgan, a Senior Science Advisor at the SADC secretariat. And in diversifyng the technology terrain, said Permanent Secretary Mokotedi, “the aim is to use as much national materials as possible.”
Speaking as a guest speaker during the opening ceremony, the Minister of Infrastructure, Science and Technology (MIST) Nonofo Molefhi said the Africa of today is a continent of encouraging and dynamic developments. “Over the last fifty years, numerous research projects and policy recommendations have been made for Science, Technology, and innovation (STI) in developing economies. However, only a few countries have emerged as achieving sufficient capable status.” Molefhi said depsite results to the contrary, African governments are committed to STIs.
“Undoubtedly, African Governments have not shown the kind or level of committments that most researchers in this room may want, but they are now waking up to the fact that STI does play an essential role as a critical growth engine of wealth creation, for improvements of welfare, and for progression of social systems in our economies. Infact the scientific community should take note that the position of STI holds in national development frameworks is an indication of the prioritisation and emphasis that countries place on the role of STI in development.”
He said in today’s world, generating new knowledge and turning it into new products and services is crucial to maintaining and enhancing a country’s competitiveness. “I want to emphasise what I said before, only an African committed to science, innovation and excellence will achieve results that positively impact on the lives of their citizens in every different ways; through improved medicines, more efficient and sustainable energy resources, and with new technological solutions to protect our environment and guarrantee the security of our citizens.”
The minister added that transforming the results of scientific research into new commercial products is, however, a complex process invloving a broad range of actors. “We need to ensure that researchers and industry work closely together and maximise the social and economic benefits of new ideas.
The conference gathered together representatives from South africa, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Seychelles, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana and the host Botswana.
