Africa is one of the two global priorities for UNESCO, together with gender mainstreaming. For an example of UNESCO's work in building capacity in STI policy, read about the workshops run by UNESCO's Nairobi office in West and East Africa in 2010-2011.

The following is a selection of articles from UNESCO’s quarterly journal, A World of Science, on UNESCO’s work to promote capacity-building in science in Africa since 2006. Almost all of these articles have been written by members of UNESCO’s Secretariat.

• Bridging the digital divide (2012)
• Taking the pulse of Earth Sciences in Africa – on UNESCO’s new Earth Science Education Initiative in Africa (2012)
• UNESCO combating drought in the Horn of Africa – on a project to map groundwater in this drought-stricken region (2012)
• Planning for an uncertain future - on the conclusions of a major global assessment of freshwater involving UNESCO and 27 other UN-Water agencies (2012)
• Sandwatchers find a market for a weed - on the ingenious idea of a Kenyan touth group to encourage local enterpreneurs to make and market a wide range of ecological products from water hyacinth, a weed that has invaded Lake Victoria (2012)
• The lucrative business of saving East Africa's forests - on training in assessing forests capacity for carbon storage, run in Yayu Coffee Biosphere Reserve in Ethiopia (2011)
• Small is beautiful – on the introduction of microscience kits to promote hands-on learning and experimentation in African schools (2011)
• A tectonic map of Africa – on the completion of a map that has taken UNESCO and the Commission of the Geological Map of the World 23 years to complete (2011)
• Greening Chemistry in Africa – on an initiative taken by UNESCO’s International Institute for Capacity-building in Africa, based in Addis Ababa (2011)
• As chemists, we are designers – interview of Professor Tebello Nyongong from South Africa, a l’Oréal-UNESCO laureate (2011)
• A parliamentary forum for STI in Africa – on the launch of a pan-African forum by UNESCO and partners (2011)
• What future for geo-education in Africa ? - on the reasons why African governments should invest in education in Earth sciences (2008)
• The rice farmer need no longer sustain heavy losses in times of drought – interview of Dr Khady Nani Dramé from Sénégal, a l’Oréal-UNESCO fellow (2008)
• Why modern agriculture must change – conclusions of a major global assessment of knowledge for agriculture involving UNESCO and others (2008)
• A blue goldmine in need of protection – on the mapping of transboundary aquifers in Africa (2007)
• A new science policy for Ethiopia - Ethiopia unveils a new policy, following a government review of the existing policy undertaken with UNESCO support (2007)

Go to the home page of A World of Science