By Adedapo Adesanya
Experts have said the power of science, technology, and innovation (STI) can help fight multidimensional vulnerabilities in Africa and help the continent move from crisis to sustainable development.
This was a core discussion during a session on STI at the Ninth African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development.
Experts emphasized the crucial role of STI as a key driver and enabler for ensuring economic growth, improving well-being, mitigating the effects of climate change, and safeguarding the environment.
They also underscored the need to strengthen national and regional STI ecosystems by fostering innovation, promoting entrepreneurship, and investing in research and development. By doing so, Africa can harness the potential of STI to accelerate its socioeconomic progress and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The session, held on March 2, 2023, builds on the recommendations of the Fifth African Science, Technology, and Innovation Forum, which accentuates the central role of STI and digitalization during the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for the necessary infrastructures for the development of STI, plans, and policies that are action-oriented towards strengthening its full implantation.
The experts highlighted that despite advances in STI, significant gaps remain in bridging the scientific and technological divide between developed countries and Africa. The highly uneven global distribution of scientific capacity and access to knowledge threatens to derail the goal of leaving no one behind, which is the central and transformative promise of Agenda 2030.
“We need a clear political will from governments to ensure science, technology, and innovation is a reality. By doing so, our education systems will be capacitated to deliver knowledge that is vital to solving Africa’s sustainability challenges,” said Mr Mamoudou Djibo, Minister for Higher Education and Research, Niger.
This is coming in the wake of achieving the Africa we want, a 10-year STI strategy was adopted by the African Union. The strategy includes the establishment of universities as centres for excellence and investments in education, technical competencies, and training in the fields of science, technology, research, and innovation.
These initiatives are crucial in accelerating progress toward achieving global goals. However, in order to fully leverage the potential of STI, significant investments in research and development are required.
National systems also need to be strengthened, as articulated by Mr Emma Theophilus, Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technologies, Namibia.
He said that “Strengthening our national systems for STI is a key game changer for rapid structural transformation in Africa. Leveraging the digital transformation can achieve a stronger, smarter, and more inclusive recovery.”
Emerging evidence suggests that an STI and digital Africa can be a springboard to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs and fulfil the aspirations of Agenda 2063.
Modupe Gbadeyanka