S&T policy dialogue

In the early days of independence there was a congruency between the intellectual ideology of the time and the development policy focus of many African states, with strong demand for domestic policy research. In contrast, the era of structural adjustment and current globalization fostered knowledge dependence, through un-negotiated policy options that tied development aid to the acceptance of ‘external’ knowledge. Today, there are new opportunities due to new leadership in the continent and the various new economic development plans that could provide the basis for a stronger domestic research-policy interface. The development of the continent will require a political leadership that appreciates the intellectual capacity of Africans, a core of confident, liberated intellectual freedom fighters who are ready to use their knowledge to liberate the continent from poverty, and the emergence of new institutions such as the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) that would provide the platform. 12/07/2006
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Regional integration offers new and increasing prospects for Africa’s scientific and technological development. If well organized and used, integration could provide the basis for developing and sharing infrastructure for research and development, and for mobilizing and using scarce expertise and financial resources. This article examines how science and technology considerations are being handled in the renewed efforts to promote regional economic and trade integration in Africa, and discusses new and emerging regional science and technology programmes. 12/07/2006
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