The UNESCO-African Union Commission (AUC) Joint Commission met from 9 to 11 March at UNESCO’s Paris headquarters, in the presence of Jean Ping, Chair of the AUC, and Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO. The key mechanism for cooperation between the two institutions, the joint commission meets every two years; it guides and directs activities, serves as a relay between African leaders and governments, and makes recommendations on joint action.
In science policy, UNESCO is currently heading a team of UN agencies and development partners which are accompanying Tanzania in the reform of its national science system, within the One UN Initiative. UNESCO is also working with the Congolese authorities to revitalize the country’s science system after the lost years of the Congolese civil war. The Organization has also been accompanying Nigeria in an ambitious reform of its own science system since 2004. As part of its contribution to Africa’s Consolidated Plan of Action (2005) in the field of science, technology and innovation (STI) policy, UNESCO is also helping the Government of Kenya to elaborate a master plan for the development of a science park in Nairobi, as a model for the region.
Useful links:
Ongoing science policy reform in specific African countries
Details of UNESCO’s contribution to Africa’s Consolidated Plan of Action in STI policy
On the science park in Nairobi
On the UN S&T cluster in support of Africa’s Consolidated Plan of Action
On the meeting of SADC countries on the theme of STI review (September 2008)
On the African Virtual Campus (launched in 2008)
Science Policy
