Africa

• © UNESCO/B. Galy
• Caravan in the desert, Mauritania

Africa is one of two overarching UNESCO priorities for the Medium Term Strategy 2008-2013, reflecting the recommendations of the 2005 World Summit Outcome document (see also Gender Equality). UNESCO’s action in Africa is guided by this document and the framework established by the African leaders in the context of the African Union.

In science, the outcomes of the African Union Summit on Science, Technology and Scientific Research for Development held in Addis Ababa in January 2007 and Africa’s Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action (CPA) will serve as the main framework for UNESCO’s action in science on the continent.

In particular, UNESCO will support the implementation of the CPA by assisting African Member States to strengthen science and technology policies, and to reinforce planning and innovation capability through policy advice, advocacy and capacity-building. An African Forum for Science and Technology Policy will be established to provide a platform for dialogue, harmonization of policies, information exchange and experience sharing.

UNESCO also leads the United Nations Science and Technology Cluster in support of NEPAD. UNESCO supports science, technology and engineering education in Africa, and the creation and maintenance of North-South and South-South scientific research networks including in the context of higher education. University-industry linkages are promoted and strengthened, notably through regional pilot projects, science incubators and parks.

One particular example of UNESCO’s action in Africa is the African Virtual Campus which aims to build capacity enabling the creation of on-line courses on science, technology and engineering for third level students.

In partnership with UNEP, UNESCO supports the NEPAD Environment Action Plan, and the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment especially on issues related to the management of transboundary resources including freshwater and biosphere reserves. Through the International Hydrological Programme and its African Committees, activities to enhance water resource management, to improve water information systems and studies on groundwater, including the assessment of drinking water quality in urban and rural areas, are being carried out in Africa. The UNESCO-IHE contributes to capacity-building in the water sciences in African countries, through postgraduate research by African students focusing on local problems.

In the ecological sciences, UNESCO supports the Regional Post-graduate Training School on Integrated Management of Tropical Forests and Lands (ERAIFT) located in the Democratic Republic of Congo which trains 30 African professionals a year from more than 20 countries on integrated land and resource management. ERAIFT will be linked to partner institutions in other humid tropical regions such as Latin America, Asia and the Pacific through South-South cooperation.

Since 2004, the Man and the Biosphere programme has been implementing a project funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) to Build Scientific and Technical Capacity for Effective Management and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in Dryland Biosphere Reserves in West Africa. In addition, support for reducing rates of biodiversity loss is targeting the 21 African Great Ape Range States through the Great Apes Survival Project.

In the ocean sciences, through the Global Ocean Observing System for Africa (GOOS-Africa) the project on the Applications of Remote Sensing for Integrated Management of Ecosystems and Water Resources in Africa is being carried out within the GOOS-AFRICA Framework of Action through training and capacity building in remote sensing, modeling, data analysis and product delivery.

In the context of the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System, the network of real-time sea-level stations and seismographs in Eastern and Western African States is being strengthened.

A project to introduce numerical coastal modelling for coastal area management addressing the expansion of coastal erosion in Western Africa is being initiated.

To understand and mitigate climate change in Africa, UNESCO is also working to develop effective adaptation measures to climate change, through several interrelated activities.

Finally, in the area of renewable energy, capacity-building and networking activities as well as pilot projects are being carried out under the African Chapter of the Global Renewable Energy Education and Training (GREET) Programme.

Related links:
::  The Natural Sciences in Africa

Publications:
::  Science in Africa
::  Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Initiative
::  African Virtual Campus