Matters arising from previous
AMCOST Meetings
African Union Commission
Department of HRST
Science and Technology Division
Implementation of the CPA

AMCOST calls upon the members states to urgently
boost the capacity of the Science & Technology and ICT
Division in the Human Resources, Science and
technology (HRST) Department by seconding officers
through the AMCOST organ and requests the
Permanent Representative Committee (PRC) of the
African Union to consider restructuring the Division of
HRST in response to the evident increase of
programmes under its portfolio.
 Member States have not yet seconded staff to the
department
Implementation of the CPA

AMCOST urges the AU Commission to develop a
programme to ensure the enhancement of Science and
Technology infrastructure in the AU Member States and
further requests all partners to support this programme.
 Not
yet started due to financial constraints
Implementation of the CPA

AMCOST appreciates progress made by the AUC and
NEPAD Agency in harmonizing their respective
Biosafety programmes in order to reduce duplication.
However the African Biosafety Network of Expertise
(ABNE) of the NEPAD Agency should concentrate on
building capacity of national regulatory systems while the
AUC Biosafety Unit concentrates on international forum
issues and in revising the African Model Law on
Biosafety and other policy development initiatives.
 There is a strong collaboration and programmatic
alignment between AUC/HRST life and earth
science unit and NEPAD agency ABNE.
Implementation of the CPA

AMCOST commends the NEPAD Agency for its
programmes on pharmaceutical innovation and
harmonization of medicines registration in the AU
Member States and RECs in line with the Global
Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation
and Intellectual Property (GSPA), AU Health Strategy,
AU Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plan for Africa and
the CPA.
 The NEPAD agency is collaborating with ANDI to
develop an innovative system for health R&D
including pharmaceutical innovations.
Implementation of the CPA

AMCOST commends the NEPAD Agency for providing
leadership in developing a bio-energy programme, with
expansion prospects, for Africa in collaboration with the
AUC Infrastructure and Energy Department.
 Bio-energy
framework has been developed as part
of the renewable energy program of PIDA.
Implementation of the CPA

AMCOST acknowledges the role of the UN Cluster for
Science and Technology in the CPA implementation and
requests the convener, UNESCO to ensure that there
are synergies among its cluster members.
 There
is a lot of progress being made and the
details are listed in the full report of the Bureau
Implementation of the CPA

AMCOST urges Member States to develop strategies
and mechanisms to turn the brain drain in Africa to brain
circulation within Africa for the enhancement of science,
technology and innovation capacities.



No progress reported from Member states.
However Member states have many successful
initiatives to combat brain drain
ITEMS PROPOSED BY
MEMBER STATES, RECs AND
EMERGING PARTNERSHIPS
AU-EU partnership


AMCOST commends the Partnership No. 8 on Science,
Information Society and Space of the EU-Africa Joint
Strategy and recognises the progress made and calls
the AU and EU to expedite the execution of projects of
the Book of Lighthouse Projects. It further welcomes the
establishment of a high-level policy dialogue between
EU and Africa on science and technology.
High Level Policy Dialogue was launched in October
2011 at the level of Senior officials meeting which
also agreed on TOR’s for the SOM. JEG8 meeting
was held in Tanzania in May, 2012 and in November,
2012 in Cape Town, SA.
GLORIAD

AMCOST commends the Arab Republic of Egypt and the
National Science Foundation (USA) for the
implementation of the Global Ring Network for Advance
Applications Development (GLORIAD) project with a
broader strategy for expansion across Africa.

Progress has been reported on the GLORIAD. 3.5
million USD has been awarded to Egypt for capacity
building purposes and for the established networks.
The AfDB has agreed to support the GLORIAD for
being an infrastructure project. Egypt invited other
interested member states to join.
Participation of African experts to
JEG8

The AMCOST urges Member States to participate in the
EU-Africa Joint Experts Group (JEG-8), and African
countries serving on JEG8-8 to report to the Steering
Committee on its regular meetings.

Steady participation of MS is reported
Square Kilometer Array


AMCOST unanimously supports South Africa’s bid for
Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope initiative and
calls upon all Member States to participate actively
including in capacity building opportunities offered by the
initiative. AMCOST further recommends this initiative to
be presented to the AU Assembly
South Africa succeeded to obtain the bid jointly with
Australia. The activities for Phase 1 to receive low
frequency signals will be hosted in Australia and
Phase 2 to be coordinated by South Africa. Phase 2
relates to the construction of satellite dishes which
will start in 2016.
AMCOST Portal


AMCOST commends Egypt for hosting the AMCOST
portal and calls upon all Member States to contribute to
this initiative as a platform for knowledge sharing and
exchange of best practices.
Egypt established the portal but member states did
not utilize it. Egypt is willing to transfer it to Congo
Brazzaville, host AMCOST V
Informal Science education
programs in MS



AMCOST urges Member States to put in place programs
that promote informal science education to cultivate
interest in science among children and youth
Member states reported that programmes are being
implemented at national level. The AMCOST SC and
Bureau also took note of the Declaration of the Sixth
Science Centre World Congress which was held in
Cape Town September 2011.
There is urgent need to exert efforts on this topic
and may be this can be enforced by the science
decade both regionally and continentally
Women and youth in Science and
Technology


AMCOST urges Member States and African Union
organs to develop special capacity building programmes
that lead to more participation of women and youth in
science and technology.
A conference was held in Nairobi in April 2012 on STI
and youth and the joint secretariat (AUC-UNECAUNESCO-AfDB) are determining joint activities from
the Nairobi Declaration for implementation.
ANDI

AMCOST welcomes the proposed African Network for
Drugs and Diagnostic Innovation (ANDI), and its
anticipated contribution to on-going initiatives on building
health innovation capacity in Africa. ANDI is requested to
work with the NEPAD Agency in further development of
the initiative in order to maximize synergies in health
research and innovation.

UNECA and NEPAD are implementing ANDI. 32
centers of excellence established; however, they are
facing financial constraints for sustainability
Decade of science and technology



The AMCOST mandated its Bureau to work with the
Commission to take all the necessary actions to ensure
successful launch of the decade of science and
technology.
Egypt reported that this is being implemented with
various bilateral partners from the North and South
Africa also reported on the joint event hosted with
Germany to promote the decade on science in their
respective countries.
However it was noted that the decade is an excellent
idea for popularization of Science and should be
implemented regionally and continentally. Egypt
offered to work with AUC in the implementation of
the AU decade on science and technology.
AMCOST IV Bureau
recommendations
Working group on resource mobilization
& parliamentarian workshop / ASTIF



To set up a Working Group (WG) to explore and
recommend innovative and alternative funding
mechanisms in order to set-up a dedicated financing
instrument to support science, technology and
Innovation (STI) initiatives and programmes including the
existing network of centers of excellence.
Agreed to hold two workshops back to back on capacity
building of parliamentarians in STI and on resource
mobilization
South Africa and Egypt to draft a framework for resource
mobilization and disseminate to Bureau members within
3 weeks from the date of the meeting.
Working group on resource mobilization
& parliamentarian workshop / ASTIF



AUC and the AMCOST Chair to revisit the Africa
Science and Technology Innovation Fund (ASTIF)
feasibility study and to engage with the African
Development Bank (AfDB) on the setting up of the fund.
Regional Economic Communities
Two workshops were held in Cairo, Egypt
The workshop was a platform for empowering and
building the capacity of the African legislators
through a common African dialogue to forge to
enhance their active participation and advocacy
beyond 1% GDP allocation for Science Research in
Africa.
Recommendations Res WS





Extend Working Group (WG) to include UNECAADB
Revise Draft Framework to include inputs from
workshop, presentations
ADB feasibility Study to be also considered
Resource person to be identified to revise the
Document
WG to meet during7-9 November 2012 in Cape
Town to finalise Draft Framework document for
AMCOST
Recommendation Res WS



Draft framework to be presented to AMCOST V for
consideration
Proposal to be made to AMCOST for convening of
a Funding conference to represent the Draft AU
Funding Framework to regional, international
partners (development funders) including private
sector
Thereafter WG to start a process of establishing
the Fund
Support to the AURG


The Bureau commended the AUC for successfully
launching 2 calls for research proposals and
acknowledges the European Commission’s (EC)
financial and technical support in the implementation of
the research grant programme. The Bureau urged the
AU Member States, RECs and International Partners to
avail resources for the next calls and to take all
necessary actions to ensure the sustainability of this
programme.
AUC continued engaging Member States, RECs and
Development Partners for resource mobilization and
Strong engagement with.
Institutionalization of AOSTI




The Bureau urged AOSTI to do its uttermost to expedite
the development of the statutes and continue
implementation of the thematic programme of work as
agreed upon by the Intergovernmental meeting of 9 -11
May 2012.
AOSTI Statutes Document was adopted by the AOSTI
intergovernmental meeting of 9th to 11th of May 2012
and has been enriched by the Legal Counsel of African
Union Commission.
The AOSTI Statutes will be submitted to AMCOST for
endorsement and subsequent adoption by the policy
organs of the African Union.
Institutionalization of AOSTI




Implementation of thematic programme of work .
Staffing
Construction of AOSTI Building
Under the request of the host country, the AUC has
completed and submitted the architectural design of the
AOSTI building.
Harmonization ASTII/AOSTI



The Bureau reiterated the need for the AUC and the
NEPAD Agency to continue with the ongoing
harmonization and alignment of African Science,
Technology and Innovation Indicators (ASTII) activities
with those of AOSTI in line with the African Union
Assembly Decision/AU/Dec 232 (XII) of February 2009.
A series of meetings were held between the ASTII
programme and AOSTI. ASTII has been aligned to
activities of AOSTI.
The two programmes are gearing up to present a
common proposal on R&D and innovation indicators
in Africa under the AOSTI umbrella.
African Research & innovation Council


The Bureau took note of the AU Assembly Decision to
establish the African Research and Innovation Council
(ARIC), and the feasibility study being carried out as
work in progress that will be presented to AMCOST V for
consideration and further requested the AUC to timely
share the relevant information on the proposal before
AMCOST V meeting to enable Member States to study it
thoroughly
Meeting of ARIC task force to Finalize feasibility
study on ARIC was held in Dakar in September 2012
and other meetings are programmed before the end
of the year. Progress on ARIC will be presented
during AMCOST V
PAIPO


The Bureau requested the AUC to submit the revised
consultative PAIPO report to the AMCOST V meeting for
consideration according to the recommendation of
AMCOST IV. Further urged the AUC to report on the
development of Geographic Indications, Indigenous
Knowledge programmes.
The PAIPO Statute was finalized as requested by the
1st AMCOST IV Bureau Meeting in accordance with
the recommendation of the AMCOST IV. The
document was sent to the Ministries in charge of
intellectual property in the AU Member States and
incorporated the concerns of stakeholders. The
document is ready for presentation to AMCOST V for
consideration and endorsement.
Infectious diseases surveillance

The Bureau urged the AUC on the proposal submitted
on the development of the framework on infectious
diseases to carefully coordinate and collaborate with
NEPAD Agency health initiatives, network of Centers of
excellence on biosciences, ANDI and any other relevant
institutions to capture concerns of Member States and
Development Partners in order to avoid duplication.

A framework ‘African Union Science and Technology
Framework for detection, Identification and monitoring of
Infectious Diseases of Human, Animals and Plants in Africa’
was developed and sent to Member States, NEPAD Agency,
partners and other stakeholders for consultations and their
concerns were incorporated into the final document with a view
to avoiding duplication of work. The document is ready for
consideration and subsequent endorsement of AMCOST V
Review of the CPA


The Bureau endorsed the review process of the CPA
and emphasized that it be carried out inclusively with the
highest level of professionalism. The outputs of the
review process should include a narrative of
achievements of the CPA, a revised CPA and roadmap
for action. AMCOST IV Bureau committed to oversee the
CPA review process and that the report should be
submitted to AMCOST V meeting for consideration and
recommendation to AU Summit for adoption.
Progress was made in the review of the CPA which
will be presented during the AMCOST V. Series of
meetings with working group and high level panel
members were held.
Review of CPA

The Bureau approved the proposed structure for the
CPA review and further directed that the number of
members on the High Level Panel be reduced by (i)
restricting Member States representation to the five
countries serving on the AMCOST IV Bureau and (ii)
avoiding double representation by regional agencies and
partners on the Working Group and High Level Panel.
AMCOST IV Bureau further requested AUC and NEPAD
Agency to expedite the appointment of the members of
the High Level Panel

Members of the high level panel were appointed and
they held two meetings
Review of CPA


The Bureau Members committed to provide support in
kind and in cash for the costs of the review process,
nomination of panel members from each of the five
AMCOST IV Bureau Member States, voluntary
contributions to the CPA review process which will
include meeting full costs of participation of AMCOST
Bureau members to the meetings of the review process
and expenses associated with hosting meetings in the
countries of AMCOST Steering Committee and Bureau
members.
About 4 meetings of working group and high level
panel were organized for the CPA review . One of
such meeting was held and hosted in Alexandria,
Egypt, and Sandton, SA with the support of DST, SA
Specialized Technical committee


The Bureau noted the restructuring of the ministerial
conferences into Specialized Technical Committees
(STCs) and expressed concern on the potential
implications the proposed reconfiguration may have on
AMCOST. The AUC was requested to provide further
clarification on the matter before AMCOST V meeting.
AMCOST will be under the STC on Education and
Science. Decision from the July 2012 summit
requested the implementation of the decision on
STC to be effective from 2014.
Working group on space science &
applications

The Bureau requested the AUC to establish the Space
Science Working Group (WG) comprising of the
members of the African Leadership Conference on
Space Science and Technology, and National Space
Agencies. Further called upon the Working Group to
develop a concept document on all space activities and
initiatives in the continent to be presented at the
AMCOST V meeting

Setting up of the space programmatic platform at
the level of AUC
Draft TOR of the working group submitted

NPCA Restructuration

The Bureau acknowledged the on-going restructuring in
the NEPAD Agency but expressed concerns on the
coordination of STI programmes and reporting of
progress in the implementation of the CPA flagship
projects and the potential implications the process has
on prospective financiers. The Bureau requested
NEPAD Agency to address the concerns raised by the
Member States.

The NPCA has established a science and technology
hub within the bureau of the CEO to partly address
this problem
RECs and STI

The Bureau noted the progress reports on science,
technology and innovation initiatives being implemented
by the REC’s (SADC and COMESA) and further
requested the RECs to institutionalize STI at regional
level Southern African Development Community

RECs to institutionalize STI at regional level
Organize a meeting with the RECs back to back with
the Regional Award Ceremony

Science and technology cluster


The Bureau commended the science, technology and
innovation initiatives that are implemented by
development partners ; (UNECA), (UNESCO), and
(AfDB) and how the activities contribute to the
implementation of the CPA. They were further urged to
promote synergies and align their programs with the
CPA and draw upon the priorities that have been
identified by Member States.
New dynamism of the S&T cluster. More synergies in
program development, planning and implementation
Eg. Parliamentarian workshop and capacity building
of journalists in science and technology
39