TANZANIA REPRESENTED AT CODIST II IN ADDIS ABABA

From left: Dr Raphael Mnasi, Director of information and documentation at the Tanzania commission for Science and Technology ,The Tanzania Ambassador to Ethiopia, Dr Joram Biswaro, Ayoub Mzee and a participantt

By Ayoub mzee -Ethiopia

The overall theme of CODIST-II “Innovation for Industrial Development in Africa” is aimed at exploring the extent to which African countries have harnessed the power of innovation to enhance industrial development on the continent and the extent to which industrial development has been linked to the countries innovation systems. There is no doubt that industrial development is critical to changing and modernizing Africa’s economic structure. This would entail amongst other issues, the application of new technologies to production and thereby increasing and diversifying exports and move the region from its continued dependence on low value-added and unstable primary products. The meeting will examine in detail the following:

1. Innovation strategies and industrial development plans - the streamlining of the STI strategies into industrial development policies as well as the overall national development plans of African countries;
2. Enabling environment, innovation and industrial development- governance of technology and innovation and the legal and regulatory mechanisms that affect the transfer, diffusion and adoption of science, technology and innovation (STI);
3. S&T and R&D for industrial development: national and institutional lessons and experiences - linkages and collaboration between R&D institutions and the industrial sector in Africa;
4. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) innovation and industrial development - ICT innovations and industrial sector development opportunities and challenges;
5. GIS innovations and industrial development in Africa; and
6. Knowledge, innovation and industrial development - the role of information and knowledge management as a facilitator of innovation and industrial development in Africa.

The session will review progress made by the ECA and member States towards implementing the recommendations of CODIST-I.