Between 2008 and 2011, UNESCO ran a number of sub-regional workshops in Africa to build capacity in science, technology and innovation (STI) policy reviews.

These reviews were conducted by Shamila Nair-Bedouelle from UNESCO’s Division of Science Policy and Capacity-Building and Martin Schaaper from the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, in co-operation with the African Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

These workshops were part of an assessment conducted by UNESCO of the status of science, technology and innovation (STI) policies in Africa, within the African Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Initiative (ASTIPI) approved by UNESCO’s General Conference in October 2007. The ultimate aim is to accompany countries in developing or revising their national STI policies. In this connection, UNESCO has been accompanying a number of African countries in revising their STI policies in recent years, including Botswana, the Republic of Congo and Tanzania.

Click on the links below to read about the outcome of each of the sub-regional workshops:

• Regional workshop for STI policy review in Central Africa - (April 2011)
• National STI workshops in Botswana and Zimbabwe (February 2011)
• West African Regional Capacity Building workshop in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy and Statistics (May 2010)
• STI policy review for East and North Africa (March 2009)
• STI policy review for countries of the Southern African Development Community (September 2008)

For details, contact UNESCO.

Read more about UNESCO’s contribution to this priority of the African Union in STI policy:

• Assessment of the status of science and technology policy formulation
• Read also about the sub-regional workshops to build capacity in STI policy in West and East Africa (2010-2011)