Building Africa's capacity in science and technology for development 199-2001: project proposal (second draft)

UNITED NATIONS

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

Distr.: LIMITED

ECA/FSSDD/S&T/AG/98/12 18 May 1998

Original: ENGLISH

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR^AFRICA

First Advisory Board Meeting on

Science and Technology for Africa's Development Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

18- 19 May 1998

BUILDING AFRICA'S CAPACITY IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR DEVELOPMENT

1999 - 2001

PROJECT PROPOSAL (SECOND DRAFT)

Title

*

Main functions

Brief description

Project duration

Starting date

Sector

Field

Executive Agency

Estimated total project cost

Contribution of ECA

Contribution of donors

The Science and Technology Function in a Renewed ECA

: Utilising the resources of science and technology in all subprogramme divisions of the Economic Commission for Africa.

: Applying science and technology to selected but critical activities of all subprogramme divisions, so as to catalyse the socio-economic development of member States.

: The project will enable ECA to build the awareness of its member States; network key stakeholders in the development process; develop and disseminate development best practices; help member States to develop science and technology human resource capabilities; provide advisory services; help member States to develop the technical, managerial and entrepreneurial competence of micro, small and medium entrepreneurs, farmers and women. These activities will be carried out within the context of an ECA- wide science and technology function.

: Three years.

: 1st July 1999.

: Science and Technology.

: Human resource capacity building in developing countries.

: Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

Executive Summary

1. In spite of wide-spread recognition of the critical role of science and technology (S&T) in the development of nations, and over three decades of science and technology efforts in Africa, science and technology-led development has had little effect on the mainstream of socio-economic activity in the region. Per capital food production has been declining;

population has been growing faster than the rate of food production, and environmental degradation has accelerated. The continent suffers from recurrent droughts, malnutrition and diseases. Internal and external factors have been blamed for this problem. However, current trends toward globalisation, privatisation, commercialisation and greater reliance on market forces for the allocation of development resources make it imperative for African countries to harness the potentials of7 science and technology to solve their endemic problems.

2. ECA has always recognised the cross-cutting characteristics of science and technology but has always carried out its science and technology activities within one of its divisions.

Having exercised this cross-cutting role within the food security and sustainable development division for two years, the need for extending the cross-cutting role to all subprogramme divisions of the Commission have become more visible. This project has therefore been initiated to utilise science and technology potentials in all subprogramme divisions and to better serve ECA member States in harnessing science and technology resources for

development.

3. The specific objectives of the project are to extend the science and technology function within ECA from FSSDD to other divisions; increase ECA's capacity to help member States build and use their science and technologies capacities for socio-economic development;

expand existing networks for better science and technology impact; develop and disseminate best practice and success casesy from which lessons can be learnt for faster socio-economic development; build ECA and member States human resources for science and technology; and

promote gender sensitive technologies for greater participation of women in development.

4. The benefits include expanded capacities to utilize science and technology for development; an expanded electronic network of policy makers, researchers, private sector stakeholders, institutions and networks; compendia of best practice cases; science and technology data bases for better development management; and greater awareness of the

catalytic role of science and technology in development.

5. The project is expected to cost about $9.8 over the next three years, starting from July

1999.

1/ Best practice and success cases are two types. Best

practice is used in the production engineering sense of a productive activity carried out on the basis of the highest efficiency in the business in the context of specified constraints and opportunities. Success cases activities considered successful as measured by their direct and

indirect hpnpf i t"_c; tn a f i rm nr nat-i .-.n /-»*- ->nu s-*+-Kai~ ««■»-■: +.,.

Building Africa's Capacity in Science and Technology 1999 - 2001

A. INTRODUCTION

1. In responding better to its member States needs, the Economic Commission for Africa focused its activities in a few critical areas of intervention. The Commission was reorganised into seven subprogramme divisions with clearly defined short, medium and long term objectives and goals. Although the cross-cutting role of science and technology in the socio- economic development process was always recognised, the initial strategy was to apply science and technology to a cluster of issues in one of the subprogramme divisions - the Food Security and Sustainable Development Division (FSSDD). The science and technology focus in that division has been directed at the most difficult cluster of problems confronting the continent of Africa, namely: the declining rate of per capita food production in the context of a high population growth rate and rapid environmental degradation. The focus has been to utilise science and technology solutions in the transition from low to high contribution to the food chain; from high to low population growth rate; and from environmental degradation to environment conservation.

2. The Food Security and Sustainable Development Division has been very selective in its choice of science and technology activities that can facilitate the transitions, that are commonly called the "nexus transitions". So far, FSSDD has relied on the development and dissemination of best practice cases; networking of key stakeholders; use of senior level group of eminent science and technology experts and the use of consultants in the initial phase of its science and technology activities. Currently, other activities are planned to consolidate the gains from these initiatives. The best practice and success cases will be streamlined and expanded to include more African and other countries; the science and technology network that was recently launched will be strengthened and expanded; a few non-African science and technology experts will be included in the science and technology advisory group; and a number of private-sector-led national seminars on the use of science and technology for development are planned for the next year to sensitize key stakeholders about the catalytic role of science and technology in facilitating the nexus transitions.

3. This selectivity is due to the limited resources available to ECA, and the overriding objective of choosing those few activities that can show early results. For the medium and long term, it is necessary to explore avenues for utilising science and technology solutions in the other subprogramme divisions for several reasons. First, industrial development, without which agricultural development is unsustainable, is overseen by the Development Management Division (DMD). It is critical for that division to also explore science and technology solutions and synergise its science and technology activities with those of FSSDD. Second, the World Economic Order has shifted away from central planning and state ownership of productive enterprises, towards greater reliance, on market forces and private sector initiatives to drive socio-economic development. One important consequence of this trend in Africa is the phenomenal growth of micro and informal enterprise sector. Several studies have shown the comparative weakness of the private sector in Africa, to compete in the globalised market of today and the years ahead, due to their technological backwardness.

4. Competitive advantage today (and in the future) is knowledge rather than resource determined. For firms to compete in the global market place, they must be equipped to identify, access, adopt, adapt and innovate from available and emerging technology. Private sector development and the micro and informal enterprise sectors also come under the Development Management Division (DMD). That division cannot proceed as if science and technology issues are irrelevant to its activities. It must explicitly explore science and technology benefits for it to be successful. Third, science and technology like all cross-cutting tools cannot be pursued in a vacuum. It must be based on the productive sectors of the economy and policies to harness it; it must be integrated with other socio-economic policies.

African countries implementing World Bank and IMF supported macro-economic adjustment programmes must integrate into those programmes appropriate science and technology frameworks that attract local and external investments to take advantage of the opportunities created by the macro-economic reforms. Failure to seek this synergy seems to be responsible for the preference for trading and rent-seeking activities as against directly productive ones.

The implication of this is that the Economic and Social Policy Division (ESPD) in ECA must have a virile science and technology component. Fourth, the Development Information Services Division (DISD) operates at the cutting edge of information technology. It has identified several priority challenges which hinder African development, and some of the opportunities information technology offers African countries in combating the problems identified such as unemployment, endemic diseases, illiteracy, innumeracy, food insecurity,

gender inequity, environmental degradation and recurrent natural calamities. Within its African Information Society framework and the network that it has started, DISD must interact with the functional divisions in which the recognized challenges can be tackled at the level of projects. That division must draw the components of the relevant science and technology solutions that address the problems from the divisions both for dissemination and

exchange.

B. PROJECT BACKGROUND

5. The catalytic and cross cutting role of science and technology has always been recognised within the UN system, and initiatives to integrate science and technology into the development process started as far back as 1963 at the United Nations Conference on the Application of Science and Technology for the Benefit of the Less Developed Areas. Perhaps the most comprehensive and far-reaching initiative on the international scene was the Vienna Plan of Action (1979), which put forward three goals for the international community:

(i) Strengthening the endogenous capacity of developing countries in science and technology for development;

(ii) Restructuring international scientific and technological relations; and

(iii) Strengthening the role of the UN system in its support for developing countries1 efforts in building endogenous capacity in science and technology.

6. Since then, science and technology issues have always been on the agenda of major UN conferences. Several UN agencies have been formed to address science and technology for development issues. Those directly dealing with these issues include the United Nations Centre for Science and Technology for Development (UNCSTD), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the United Nations Fund for Science and Technology for Development (UNFSTD) and the United Nations Intergovernmental Committee on Science and Technology for Development (UNIGSTD).

There are also other UN agencies whose work have important science and technology components such as the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Centre for Transnational Corporations (UNCTC), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The World Intellectual Property Organisation regulates intellectual property and, therefore, is the custodian of millions of patents that can be utilized by developing countries for development.

7. The African continent itself has not been left behind in the area of science and technology initiatives. Science and Technology considerations were dominant in the Lagos Plan of Action for the Economic Development of Africa (1980); Africa's Priority Programme

for Economic Recovery (1986); the Abuja Treaty Establishing the African Economic

Community (1991); Relaunching Africa's Economic and Social Development; the Cairo Agenda for Action, 1995. The Abuja Treaty had a Science and Technology Protocol, which all OAU member States signed, and which required certain actions to be taken to harness science and technology resources for development.

8. In spite of these international and regional initiatives and the multiplicity of institutions that are aimed at harnessing science and technology for development, there is general consensus that "inappropriate policies and strategies at national levels have tended to isolate science and technology-led development in Africa, from the mainstream of national economic activity"*. This project is aimed at helping ECA and its member States to eliminate this isolation by integrating science and technology initiatives with all relevant sectors of socio- economic activity. It is also intended that the science and technology activities of ECA and its member States will be focused on a few critical issues so as to make an impact on the

endemic problems of the continent.

C. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

9. The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the science and technology function in both ECA and its member States thereby increasing the capacity to harness science and technology for development on the continent. The specific objectives of the project are to:

2/ See ECA: Forging Partnerships for Africa's Future

March 1997. D. 51.

(i) build national awareness about the fundamental role of science and technology in the development process and actualise the political will towards long term national goals based on vision, societal consensus, discipline, stability and appropriate system of national priorities;

(ii) expand and strengthen the networking of ECA member States through:

development and distribution of science and technology data bases;

development and hosting of information from member States on nexus and other development issues: facilitating the creation of an electronic discussion group for the exchange of information among all stakeholders: and creation of network focal points to facilitate the

dissemination of information;

(iii) develop, publish and update from time to time compendia of best practice cases from ECA member States as well as from other parts of

the world;

(iv) promote appropriate human resource development for science and technology capability in ECA member States through primary education, technical, managerial and entrepreneurial training of small and micro enterprise operators, farmers and women in particular, and relevant tertiary education;

(v) make the science and technology function prominent in all divisions of the Commission by promoting its cross-cutting role in research and development, technology transfer, indigenous technology capability building, advisory services and the management of technology, possibly in an African Centre for Technology Management to be established under the project;

(vi) provide more relevant and expert science and technology advisory services to its member States; and

(vii) catalyse the extensive science and technology resources within the UN system and elsewhere to provide ECA member States authoritative and focused science and technology information.

D. PROJECT COMPONENTS

10. The objectives and the project components have been derived by drawing on four

sources. The four sources are presented in our Table 1 for ease of reference. It can be seen

that certain components recur in most if not all of the sources. On the basis of experience

and the recommendations of experts, the following components seem indicated:

(a) Awareness creation;

(b) Broad-based networking;

(c) Development and dissemination of best practices;

(d) Human resource development training and related activities for science and technology capability;

(e) Science and technology advisory services;

(f) Gender-sensitive science and technology activities.

1. 2. 3. 4.

Table1.DerivationofFocusforECA'sScienceandTechnoloavFunction Source ReportofJoint InspectionUnitof

UNSSSTA1

(1994) ECA'sForging Partnershipsfor Africa'sFuture (1997) ConsultancyReporton ScienceandTechnology inECA (1997) Recommendationsof FSSDDRdHocGroupof scienceandtechnology experts (February1998)

Awareness Creation Buildingpolitical willforlongterm goals networkof scientists Couplingscience andtechnologywith productivesectors Scienceand technology awarenessbuilding

C0 Broad-based Networking nationalawareness buildingfor scienceand technology Executivedialogue CatalysingallUll scienceand technologies activities Networkingofall stakeholders Note:UNSSSTA-UnitedNationsSystems

MP0 BestPractice Dissemination Creationofappropriate incentivepolicy framework Nationalseminars Upgradingtechnical, managerialand entrepreneurial competenceofSHEs AuthoritativeAfrican scienceandtechnology publication

NEN HumanResource Development 1.Eradicationof illiteracyand innumeracy 2.Reformofpublic service 1.South-SouthLearning 2.ECAscienceand technologycapacity building Developmentand replicationofbest practice.Expansionof scienceandtechnology functiontoall divisions Developmentand disseminationof compendiaofbest practicescienceand technologycases

TS Scienceand Technology Reformof education Advisoryservices RelianceonAd-Hoc ExpertsforAdvice onscienceand technology Extensionof scienceand technology functioninECAto alldivision ,SupportforScienceandTechnologyinAfrica 7

Gender Sensitive Scienceand Technology Activities Exploitinggender- sensitivescience andtechnology Developmentof scienceand technologyoptions forSHEsandwomen

(a) Awareness creation

11. Awareness creation is at two levels: political and societal. There must be awareness at the highest political level of the critical role of science and technology in the development process and a willingness to commit resources to science and technology activities which typically have a long gestation period. This requires vision and deliberate niche-playing at the highest level.

At the societal level there must be "societal consensus" and a feeling of ownership of science and technology initiatives by those expected to implement the initiatives at the productive level.

Awareness at the highest political level facilitates the design and implementation of appropriate science and technology policies, institutions and infrastructure to make science and technology initiatives at the productive level thrive. The policies must include a comprehensive incentive system that encourages societal consensus to pursue jointly agreed goals and objectives.

12. In the past ECA pursued this awareness building through the African Conference of Ministers for Science and Technology and the Intergovernmental Committee on Science and Technology for Development at the regional and subregional levels. Awareness building in the present realities must move to two levels. The highest political bosses (Presidents or Heads of State) must be reached at Summit levels; and private sector operators must be made aware of the catalytic role of science and technology in the global competition of today. The implication is that ECA must package its science and technology activities and target these two constituencies through briefs, presentations to OAU and other Summits of Heads of States; and through carefully planned national seminars to which policy makers, chambers of commerce and industry, researchers and other stakeholders can be reached with the messages of ECA. Such meetings also become important fora for interaction and detailed discussion of policies and other science and technology issues, such as best practices and science and technology success experiences around the world. The masses who are the ultimate beneficiaries of science and technology initiatives can also be reached through short audio and video messages.

(b) Broad-based networking

13. Already ECA has developed two separate networks. FSSDD has just launched a science and technology for food security and sustainable development network of individuals, institutions

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and networks which is not restricted to researchers or science and technology practitioners. It includes policy makers in government and industry, researchers and users of technology. It is a network of data bases and best practices. The data bases include CVs of network members, science and technology activities of institutions and networks. E-mail and internet connectivity will facilitate rapid interaction, exchange of information and conferencing. It has a five-member Steering Committee. The institutions already in the new network include the African Regional Centre for Technology (ARCT), Dakar; the African Regional Centre for Engineering Design and Manufacture (ACEDAM), the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (N1SER); the African Technology Policy Studies network (ATPS), Nairobi; Secretariat d'Etat a la Recherche Scientifique et la Technologie (SERST), Tunis; and the Council for Science and Industrial Research (CSIR), Pretoria, among many others.

14. ECA is the regional executing agency of the African Information Society Initiative (AISI) the objective of which is to "utilise the information and telecommunications technologies to accelerate the socio-economic development of Africa and its people". The initiative, which has been adopted by the Conference of Ministers of Planning and Development as Resolution 812 (XXXI) has an eleven-member High Level Working Group which is working with numerous collaborating partners to aid ECA in creating a framework that forms the basis of its programme of work in the Development Information Services Division (DISD). The AISI action plan is similar to FSSDD's science and technology network in its objectives but is designed to work directly with member countries of ECA to "assist in drawing up national action plans; develop programmes; and draft projects to help support systems for government, business and society."

15. Todate DISD in ECA has built up a strong partnership of public international and bilateral organisations, private sector foundations and African member States to work towards the goals of the African Information Society Initiative. ECA has plans to ensure that information infrastructure and information services are an integral part of African development. The specific activities planned include building information society awareness in member States; helping member States develop National Information and Communication Infrastructure; promoting electronic connectivity; building information and communication capacity; democratising access to the information society; developing sector applications; and developing information management and dissemination capacities.

16. This project will draw on the resources of both the FSSDD and DISD-sponsored networks

and similar initiatives around the world such as the UNIDO "information technology for SMEs"

to increase awareness of science and technology trends, strengthen country information nodes, and increase the technological capability of productive entities in member countries. Its main

elements will include:

♦ data bases made available on the internet and accessible to network members, and

other stakeholders for updating and use;

♦ a web page hosting information from network members. AISI, other regional and subregional and international organisations;

♦ an electronic forum for discussion, and on-line exchange of information;

♦ e-mail services, computing facilities, and training for effective participation in the

network;

♦ country focal points or nodes within member countries to facilitate the collection, packaging and dissemination of information:

♦ institutionalised linkages with other UN agencies, regional and subregional

organisations.

(c) Development and dissemination of best practices

17. This activity will have several packages. The first will be made up of compendia of success cases around Africa and other parts of the world which have similar initial endowments.

Initially based on food security and sustainable development, the compendia will be compiled in five categories: selected commodities or products; storage, processing, preservation (machinery and processes); infrastructure and support services; sustainability; women and technology cases.

Standard information for each compendium will include a brief background and problem

10

definition; a description of the innovative process; the lead institutions or innovating entities and their characteristics; contact persons; collaborating institutions; funding sources; and an

explanation of the success.

18. Best practice cases that will be targeted for dissemination will include:

♦ successful land tenure policies and practices, especially reforms that grant women rights to ownership of land and how these have promoted technology adoption by

women;

♦ legislations protecting genetic resources:

♦ renewable energy devices to substitute fuelwood use;

♦ successful provision oi\ and payment for rural infrastructure;

♦ successful agricultural research and extension experiences;

♦ success cases in increase of the genetic yield of traditional crops;

♦ successful productivity improvement cases;

♦ successful utilization and improvement of traditional coping technologies for pests, erosion, desertification and disease prevention;

♦ successful micro, rural finance, and SME finance schemes;

♦ successful employment generating productive experiments;

♦ successful cleaner production practices;

♦ innovative irrigation schemes, their finance and cost recovery;

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♦ successful rules based macro-economic policies that have generated local savings

and encourage inflow of investment;

♦ innovative and successful incentive systems for productive activities, etc.

19. While the first package will be drawn from member countries of EGA, the second package of best practices will be drawn from the successful science and technology activities of other UN agencies such as UNIDO, UNEP, UNESCO, UNCTC, UNCTAD, FAO, UNFSTDandUNSTD, which are drawn from other parts of the world or from Africa, but which are not covered in the

ECA compendia.

20. The third package involves international interaction and South-South Learning through carefully planned technology exhibitions; exchange visits among small and medium enterprise operators (Africans and Latin Americans, East and Southeast Asians); arranged south-south tours for public servants for learning the tacit elements of successful macro-economic management or successful public sector reform and retraining; etc. The aim of this package is to build capacity through tacit learning and interpersonal exchanges, and to generate many SME business options for prospective and operating entrepreneurs.

(d) Human resource development training and related activities for science and technology capability

21. Human resource development, training and related activities for science and technology capability is the core of this project sustainability. It is approached at the level of ECA, and at the level of member countries. ECA will recruit a few key professionals in the discipline of technology management who will be strengthened by one or two distinguished scholars who will give major lectures, undertake policy studies, organise staff seminars and help guide work at the Commission. The science and technology function will also be maintained in all subprogramme divisions as a means of influencing the work plans and activities in divisions. The institutional arrangement for performing this function in ECA is discussed later in this proposal.

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22. The situation in ECA member States requires far more attention tor many reasons. The

"unprecedented nature of the region's economic depression together with the shock-therapy programmes of structural adjustment, which are further compounded in some countries by

political transition difficulties have wrought damage on fledging local science and technology institutions and capacities, amplifying the reverse transfer of technology to the developed countries through brain drain".1' This calls for innovative frameworks in African countries aimed at capacity retention, and the discarding of unrealistic levels of remunerations for high level human resources. Worse still most member countries have to cope with unprecedented

levels of graduate unemployment, and masses of able-bodied retrenched public servants. In the

background there is still the looming phenomenon of unacceptable levels of illiteracy and

innumeracy. Some of the graduate unemployment is due to the mismatch between the products of tertiary education and the demands of industry and the productive sectors generally.

23. There is a need for ECA to spearhead: the eradication of illiteracy and innumeracy in member countries where these are still a problem; the systematic build up of vocational and technical skills along the entire spectrum of national production systems; technical entrepreneurial training (in collaboration with other partners such as UN1DO and 1LO) for unemployed graduates and retrenched civil servants to empower them to become productive employers rather than job seekers; reform of the tertiary education system to make it responsive to the technological demands of a globalised world; and relevant public sector training to equip the sector to manage technologically oriented productive economies. Part of this activity will be directed at better equipping all stakeholders in the policy making process of member countries. This will necessitate activities aimed at the public servants and civil society. The intention here is to generate a large body of technically skilled entrepreneurial talent who can be relied on to drive the productive sectors of economies. The last part of this activity will include schemes for upgrading the technical and managerial competence of micro, small and medium entrepreneurs through collaborative training schemes that are designed for beneficiaries on their premises and

in clusters where these occur.

3/ See Hernandez and Kabongo op. cit. p. 21.

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(e) Science and technology advisory services

24. Advisory services are usually provided by ECA on request from member States. Lately, ECA has been unable to provide advisory services to member States on various science and technology issues, as a result of the lack of human resources for the science and technology function in the Commission. This project will be anchored on the provision of relevant and high level advisory services both from the regular staff to be recruited and from the advisory group of experts drawn from member States and the networks to advise ECA and its member countries.

Through its science and technology networks it will maintain a dossier of science and technology experts on different issues who can be utilised to provide expert advice.

(f) Gender-sensitive science and technology activities

25. This activity will be coordinated with the work of the African Centre for Women. Its focus will be on women in science and technology activities and technologies geared to raising the productivity of women; reducing drudgery in their productive activities; factoring women's peculiarities including their other responsibilities such as food preparation and reproductive responsibilities, in the use of technology. Part of the activity will be geared to accessing and disseminating women-friendly technological options in the various activities in which African women are engaged, such as hair dressing; food processing; dress making; tie and dye; food preservation and preparation; catering and tourism; fashion and health products production; all aspects off farming; marketing and distribution. It will promote the separation of best practice

cases that are targeted at women.

E. EXPECTED OUTPUTS AND BENEFITS

26. A significant benefit of this project will be to coordinate the science and technology activities of ECA under a single project but drawing on the resources of the subprogramme divisions to deliver an effective science and technology function to member States. The role of science and technology in the context of each subprogramme focus will be made explicit and

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approved work plans will be made to reflect this thrust. This central focus of the science and technology function will be reflected in the delivery of science and technology services to

member States of ECA.

27. For ECA the specific outputs of the project will be:

(i) a centralized and strengthened science and technology function that is prominent in all divisions and units of ECA as a cross-cutting function;

(ii) improved competence within ECA to respond to member State science and technology needs;

(iii) expanded channels for disseminating the various science and technology outputs of this project.

29. From the point of view of member States, the project will have the following outputs:

(i) increased awareness of the work of ECA in science and technology, and in the catalytic role of science and technology in the development process at all levels of government and society;

(ii) compendia of best practice cases around the world illustrating how science and technology has been harnessed for development from which lesson will

be drawn;

(iii) increased reservoir of skilled and entrepreneurial personnel empowered for productive activities;

(iv) acquisition of micro-economic management skills for policy makers in

government;

(v) improvement of technical, managerial and entrepreneurial skills for SMEs especially women;

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(vi) an expanded network of policy makers, entrepreneurs, researchers, institutions and other data bases;

(vii) authoritative set of ECA publications on science and technology issues and solutions;

(viii) availability of a corps of science and technology experts working within the aegis of ECA for member States;

(ix) improved capacity for member States to harness science and technology resources for development;

(x) increased interaction among all stakeholders on issues of science and technology policies and practices.

F. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

30. There are several options for implementing this project. An ECA-wide science and technology function can be executed as an additional division; or it could be performed by a specialized institution - as suggested by FSSDD -- an African Centre for Technology Management; or it could be performed as an advisory function within the Executive Secretary's Cabinet Office. Each option has advantages and disadvantages. To create a new division of science and technology services will elevate it from previous insignificance (a section within Natural Resources, or a thematic area of FSSDD) to equality with other divisions; create a cadre of science and technology researchers ancj managers within ECA who can directly relate to member States' ministries in charge of science and technology; and create the divisional structure that allows the different activities described to be carried out. However, there is the strong risk that it will stand alone and compete for resources with other divisions. Having no enforcement powers over other divisions it runs the risk of isolation, so that its activities may not influence the activities of other divisions. Since it is not in charge of allocating resources like the PPFED,

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it may make no impact on other ECA subprogrammes. These problems also apply to the African

Centre for Technology Management idea. Perhaps the centre may create even more

organisational structures than the division, with the attendant risks. It only becomes a viable option if it can be brought directly under the Executive Secretary, like the African Centre for

Women.

31. On the other hand, if the science and technology function is performed as a direct cabinet function, a very lean organisation can be relied on to implement the various activities set out above. As such a corps of four specialists with one of them sufficiently expert and senior to provide the highest quality of science and technology advice while the others share the activities and relate to all other subprogramme divisions, could be far more effective in accomplishing the objectives of the project. The critical requirement here is not a structure but perceived authority, and the moral integrity of high expertise. The Executive Secretary's office provides the authority which will be legitimised by the quality of expertise that performs the function. This arrangement conforms to the trend in those member countries of ECA, where the science and technology function has made significant impacts on the mainstream of socio-economic activity.

Examples are Tunisia, Morocco, and South Africa, where the science and technology function is directly under the President's office and so carries the authority of the highest political head.

Examples abound in East and Southeast Asia, of similar arrangements, with landmark results.

A parallel arrangement within ECA sends a clear message to its member States that the science and technology function is recognised as a cross-cutting function and is accorded a binding authority within the Commission. Countries with ineffective ministries of science and technology are more likely to follow ECA's example. More importantly, that arrangement allows ECA to designate science and technology focal points in its divisions, subregional offices and even countries for greater effectiveness.

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(■) (ii)

(iii) (iv)

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

4/

G. PROJECT BUDGET

The estimated project budget is specified along the six clusters of activities, and in the

sequence of presentation.

fa) Awareness creation

This cluster has four components: publications targeted at different audiences; short audio and video messages on ECA's science and technology activities; national seminars, conferences,

workshops, and science and technology newsletters.

1999

Publications and distribution 30.00

Media presentations (Preparation and airing) 60.00 Science and technology newsletters and other periodicals 20.00

National seminars- ?00 00

(Total of 12 States)

Subtotal 310.00

Add contingency !0% 31.00

Total 341.00

(b) Networking

2000 30.00 60.00 20.00 200.00

310.00 31.00 341.00

■

2001 Total

50.00 110

60.00 180

20.00 60

200.00 600

330.00 950

33.00 95

363.00 1,045.

This activity requires management information systems consultancy, equipment both at ECA and at the member country nodes or focal points; and periodic data collection. At the ECA there will be a network coordinator of P4 grade, who will have other jobs in addition to coordinating the network. He could be the liaison with other UN agencies on science and technology matters. The components are costed as follows:

1999 2000

Consultancy 20.00 10.00

Coordination 230.00 230.00

Data collection/processing/dissemination 30.00 30.00

Country focal points!' 50.00 50.00

Equipment 80.00 80.00

Subtotal " 410.00 410.00

Add contingency at 10% 41.00 41.00

Total 451.00 451.00

The criterion of choice of States will be contribution to the national seminars.

represent 50% of estimated cost.

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2001 10.00 230.00 30.00 50.00 80.00 410.00 41.00 451.00

Total 40.00 690.00 90.00 150.00 240.00 1,230.00 123.00 1,353.00

States matching Amounts shown

00 00 00 00

00 00 00

(c) Best practice and success cases

This activity will be carried out at ECA, member countries and through consultants relating to other partners and UN bodies. The costs are estimated as follows:

(0 (ii)

(iii) (iv)

Honorarium for cases Consultancy

Preparation and dissemination Logistical support

Subtotal

Add contingency 10%

Total

1999 48.00 20.00 75.00 20.00 163.00 16.00 179.00

2000 48.00 20.00 75.00 20.00 163.00 16.00 179.00

2001 48.00 20.00 75.00 20.00 163.00 16.00 179.00

Total 144.00 60.00 225.00 20.00 449.00 48.00 497.00

(d) Capacity building

This has two components: capacity building at ECA and human resource development in member States. Capacity building in ECA should be approached in a very pragmatic way. We propose the employment of one high level management of technology expert who will, together with a top US University, design a three months, in-house training of a multidisciplinary team selected from the subprogramme divisions. The course will give the basic competence in the various aspects of running an effective science and technology function,5' to selected ECA scientists, engineers, economists, and other social scientists. If a top-ranked University is chosen, such an institution has money-raising clout to fund the training - Harvard Business School; Sloan School of Management (MIT); Princeton, Berkley, Yale, or any other Ivy League School will be excited to work with ECA on this. The Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) of the University of Sussex is also a good candidate for this partnership.

5/ This idea is presented in a separate paper to be attached to this project as an annex.

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The capacity building in ECA should begin immediately, if the project proposal is accepted by it. This will empower ECA to successfully manage the science and technology capacity building of member States. The two components are costed tentatively, on the assumption that the ECA portion can be done in partnership with a US or UK University: (Costs in 000 USD).

2000 2001 Total,

160.00 230.00 750.00 500.00 500.00 1,500.00

- Training of retirees in States

- Technical entrepreneurship training of unemployed graduates in States

- Training of women entrepreneurs

(e) Short training courses with UNIDO/ILO (f) Support services and consultancy

Subtotal Add 10%

Total 979.00 1,265.00 990.00 990.00 4,224.00

(a) (b) (c)

(d)

Project leader^

Project coordinatorz'(P4 grade) Cost of short training in ECA

Technical entrepreneurship5' development in States

10 States/year

1998 160.00 230.00 500.00

—

1999

250.

500.

-

—

00 00

890 89

--

—

.00 .00

250 150 1,150 115

.00 .00 .00 .00

250 150 900 90

.00 .00 .00 .00

250 150 900 90

.00 .00 .00 .00

750 450 3,840 384

.00 .00 .00 .00

6/ This should be a temporary position for 6 months only in the first instance, including DSA.

Z/ Also used for the network activity, so costs after 1998 already included in the project.

8/ This is participatory with member States governments.

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(e) Advisory services

This activity will be provided by ECA core staff (now trained in science and technology management), consultants selected by ECA from the Science and Technology Advisory Group and any other source to service States on a cost-recovery basis. The estimates are:

(i) Activity backup

(ii) Regional research studies (iii) ECA core staff travels

Total

1999 2000 2001 Total

50.00 50.00 50.00 150.00

200.00 200.00 200.00 600.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 600.00 450.00 450.00 450.00 1,350.00

Women in technology activities

(i) Identification and replication of gender- sensitive technologies

(ii) Training for women entrepreneurs*' (iii) Back up services

Subtotal Add 10%

Total

Budeet summary

Awareness building Networking

Best practices and success cases Capacity building

Advisory services

Gender-sensitive science and technology

1999 150.00

250.00 50.00 450.00 495.00 945.00

Total

2000 2001 150.00 150.00

250.00 250.00 50.00 50.00 450.00 450.00 495.00 495.00 945.00 945.00

$1,045.00 1,353.00 497.00 4,224.00 1,350.00 1,395.00

$9,864.00

Total 450.00

750.00 150.00 450.00 945.00 1,395.00

This is a collaborative activity with UNIDO, ILO, African Centre for Women and member States. Costs shown only cover project contribution.

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