Luo urges science, technology desks in SADC
THERE is need to establish Science, technology and innovation (STI) desks for member States in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as a way of keeping track of the technological advancements in the world, Higher Education Minister Nkandu Luo has said. Prof Luo said it was important for SADC countries to keep track of proceedings and technological advancements prior to attending high level world meetings. Professor Luo noted that this was only possible with adeTuate preparations prior to such meetings.
This came to light during the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development¶s st session of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development held in Geneva. Prof Luo and her counterpart Minister of Higher Education of Botswana Ngaka Ngaka held a bilateral meeting and agreed that Southern African Countries such as Zambia and %otswana should share and exchange views prior to attending high level meetings.
She said given this situation, adeTuate preparations were crucial prior to attending such meetings.
The ministers agreed on the need to discuss the role of setting up a Science, technology and innovation desk at SADC, to benefit the countries.
Each country would have a focal person to ensure that issues affecting the SADC countries in STI were properly handled, Prof Luo said.
“Africa has remained behind in STI and bridging the gap can only be made possible if African countries work together,” she said. Prof Luo added that SADC countries needed to have a well-defined research agenda, appropriately skilled human capital and budgets to support the transformation agenda so that when such meetings were called, data was readily available. She noted that access to data would also help the countries not only design tangible activities but help countries lobby for more funding for activities.
And Mr Ngaka said data sharing was cardinal and critical for SADC countries.