ECOWAS Policy on Science and Technology: Difference between revisions

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In 2011, the [[Economic Community of West African States]] (ECOWAS) adopted a '''Policy on Science and Technology''' (ECOPOST).

== An integral part of Vision 2020 ==

ECOPOST is an integralessential partcomponent of the subregionsub region's development blueprint toVision 2020, entitledDevelopment ''Vision 2020''Plan. ''Vision 2020'' proposeslays aout roada mapplan for improvingbetter governance, acceleratingfaster economic and monetary integrationunification and fosteringincreased public–privatePublic-Private partnershipsPartnerships (PPPs). It endorsessupports the planned harmonization of investment lawsregulations in [[West Africa]] and suggestsadvises pursuing ‘with vigour’pushing the creationestablishment of a regional investment promotion agency "with vigour." Countries are urgedbeing advised to promote efficient,support viable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), andas well as to expose traditional agriculture to modern technology, entrepreneurship and innovation, in order to improveboost productivityproduction.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002354/235406e.pdf|title=West Africa. In: UNESCO Science Report: towards 2030|last=Essegbey|first=George|last2=Diaby|first2=Nouhou|last3=Konte|first3=Almamy|publisher=UNESCO Publishing|year=2015|isbn=978-92-3-100129-1|___location=Paris}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=ECOWAS Policy for Science and Technology|last=ECOWAS|publisher=Economic Community of West African States|year=2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Vision 2020: towards a Democratic and Prosperous Society.|last=ECOWAS|publisher=Economic Community of West African States|year=2011}}</ref>

== A framework for national policies ==

ECOPOST provides a framework for member states wishing to improve – or elaborate for the first time – their own national policies and action plans for science, technology and innovation. ImportantlyMoreover, ECOPOST includes a mechanism for monitoring and evaluating the policy's implementation, an aspect often overlooked.<ref name=":0" />

NorIt does itnot neglect funding., Itrather it proposes creating a solidarity fund which would be managed by a directorateDirectorate within ECOWAS to help countries fund investment in key institutions and improve education and training; the fund would also be used to attract foreign direct investment. As of early 2015, the fund had not yet been established.<ref name=":0" />

The regional policy advocates the development of a science culture in all sectors of society, including through science popularization, the dissemination of research results in local and international journals, the commercialization of research results, greater technology transfer, intellectual property protection, stronger university–industry ties and the enhancement of traditional knowledge.<ref name=":0" />

ECOPOST encourages countries ''inter aliaalign'' to:<ref name=":0" />

* raise gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD) to 1% of GDP, as recommended by the [[African Union]] in 2003; in 2013, research intensity averaged 0.3% in West Africa;

* define their own research priorities, so that researchers are working on topics of national interest rather than those proposed by donors;

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* establish science and innovation prizes;

* define a harmonized regional status for researchers;

* put in placeestablish a national fund for local innovators which would also help them protect their intellectual property rights;

* adapt university curricula to local industrial needs;

* develop small research and training units in key industrial fields, such as lasers, fibrefiber optics, biotechnology, composite materials and pharmaceuticals;

* equip research laboratories, including with information and communication technologies;

* establish science and technology parks and business incubators;

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GERD tends to be spent mainly in either the government or university sectors, depending on the country, although only Ghana and Senegal have provided data for all four performing sectors. These data reveal that the share of GERD performed by the business enterprise sector in these two countries is negligible. This will need to change if the region is to raise its investment in research and development.<ref name=":0" />

It would be hazardous to extrapolate to the entire subregion without recent data for more than seven countries, but the available data dodoes suggest a shortage of qualified personnel. Only Senegal stands out, with 361 full-time equivalent researchers per million inhabitants in 2010, according to the [[UNESCO Institute for Statistics]]. Next come Cabo Verde (51), Burkina Faso (48), Ghana and Nigeria (39), Togo (36) and Mali (32). The data for Nigeria date from 2007, for Cabo Verde from 2011 and, for Togo, from 2012. The world average in 2014 was 176 per million inhabitants.<ref name=":0" />

Despite policies promoting gender equality, women's participation in research remains low. Cabo Verde, Senegal and Nigeria have some of the best ratios: around one in three (Cabo Verde) and one in four researchers. Concerning the sector of employment, the surprise comes from Mali, where half (49%) of researchers were working in the business enterprise sector in 2010, according to the [[UNESCO Institute for Statistics]].<ref name=":0" />

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=== Moves to improve data collection ===

Countries are being encouraged to workcollaborate with the ECOWAS Commission to improveenhance data collection. OfOut of the 13 countries which participatedinvolved in the firstinitial phase of the African Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators Initiative (ASTII), justonly four from ECOWAS countries contributed to ASTII'sthe first data collection of data on research for publication in the ''African Innovation Outlook'' (2011):. These countries include Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal. ASTII was, launched in 2007 by the African Union's ''New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)'', in orderaims to improve research data collection and analysis in the field of research.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.nepad.org/resource/african-innovation-outlook-2010|title=African Innovation Outlook 2010|last=Planning and Coordinating Agency of the New Partnership for Africa's Development|year=2011|___location=Pretoria}}</ref>

While ECOWAS washad barelya morestronger visiblepresence in the second ''African Innovation Outlook'', withcompared justto sixthe countriesfirst contributingedition, datathere onis researchstill room for more participation and developmentreporting outfrom member states. Only six of 19ECOWAS's acrossnineteen themember countries continent:- Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Ghana, Mali, Senegal and Togo - contributed data on research and development activities. NigeriaNotably missing was totally absentNigeria, and onlyjust Ghana and Senegal provided acomplete fullinformation setacross all four assessed sectors of datainnovation performance. Broader involvement and reporting from within the economic community would shine a brighter light on trends and possibilities for alladvancement. fourOverall performanceparticipation sectorsfrom ECOWAS members needs to increase to give a fuller picture of innovation in the region and where efforts could focus.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=http://www.nepad.org/resource/african-innovation-outlook-ii-0|title=African Innovation Outlook 2014|last=Planning and Coordinating Agency of the New Partnership for Africa's Development|year=2014|___location=Pretoria}}</ref>

SubregionalECOWAS trainingtook workshopsactions werein organizedrecent foryears countriesto byaddress ECOWASweaknesses in technological application stemming from research. In 2013 and 2014, the organization held subregional workshops for member countries focused on science, technology and innovation indicatorsmetrics andas howwell toas draftdrafting research proposals. ECOWASThese hastrainings takenaimed otherto stepsbuild recentlyskills toin tackleevaluating theinnovation lackprogress. ofAdditionally, technologicalin impact2012 ofECOWAS research ministers adopted the researchECOWAS sector.Research ForPolicy instance,during a meeting in 2012Cotonou, theBenin. ministersThis inhelped chargelay ofout researcha adoptedunified thestrategy. Through workshops and new coordinating policies, ''ECOWAS Researchhas Policy''worked whileto meetingtackle inchallenges Cotonou,limiting the societal impact of research activities in Beninthe subregion.<ref name=":0" />

== Sources ==