SA, Uganda pen science agreement

By Siyabonga Africa, ITWeb junior journalist

Johannesburg, 20 Apr 2009

Science and technology minister Mosibudi Mangena and his Ugandan counterpart Ephraim Kamuntu have signed a bilateral agreement, to share experiences on science and technology development as well as policy drafting.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) says the agreement marks the beginning of deliberate efforts to position science, technology and innovation as the main drivers of development in the countries for the next five years.

DST Africa co-operations manager Anneline Morgan says a plan of action, which will ascertain areas of mutual interest in science and technology, is expected to be drafted in July.

Morgan says the deal will also see the countries hold science and technology workshops in the final months of this year, when members from the respective ministries will converge to share experiences in science and technology development and policy drafting.

“No budget has been set aside in terms of funding the agreement due to our differing budget systems,” explains Morgan. “But we hope to have one by the beginning of 2010.”

The DST says the Ugandan government is investing in a wide range of research and development programmes, such as curriculum improvement and science training, through the Uganda Millennium Science Initiative. The initiative is co-financed by the government of Uganda and the World Bank, and would serve as a source of funding early next year.

Extending the deal

DST marketing and communications manager Johanetta Clark says the agreement stems from the 2005 SA-Uganda Joint Permanent Economic Commission, which was chaired by the ministers of trade and industry and supervised by both presidents.

The commission focuses on matters relating to joint action to achieve mutually beneficial economic development, and addresses issues such as mutual investment and infrastructure development.

Clark says the countries will benefit from their joint capacity in science and technology research, over the next five years, in order to further knowledge in specific selected areas, such as biosciences, and jointly contribute to the irradiation of poverty by collaboratively finding solutions.

“The overall objectives are to reinforce networks, promote integration and collaborations, and identify common research areas of mutual interest and benefit.”

Clark says the agreement was signed with the full knowledge of the upcoming elections on Wednesday and the DST will honour the deal despite the change of guard.

Partnering for growth

Mangena says the plan of action will facilitate the identification of priority areas in science and technology in which the countries will collaborate.

The DST and its Ugandan counterpart are expected to collaborate in the areas of biosciences, space science, indigenous knowledge systems, environment and climate change, energy research, research and development of scientific infrastructure, and innovation policy development.

“The vision is to mobilise the population to embrace science and technology, and position science and technology as an integral pillar for socio-economic development, prosperity and human development in both countries,” notes Mangena.