The 3rd East African Community (EAC) Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Conference, held from 6 to 8 March, 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya, marked a significant milestone for the region with the launch of the East African Regional Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2023-2033 and the East African Regional Intellectual Property (IP) Policy 2023-2033.

Setting this achievement apart, is the inclusion of Open Science principles and guidelines in the new policy framework. This marks a first for the region and Africa and is set to unlock the full potential of scientific research and drive sustainable development across East Africa.

This historic achievement was the culmination of concerted efforts by a strategic partnership between the Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa), Public Library of Science (PLOS), and the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO). The collaboration began in 2022, with the shared vision of promoting Open Science principles and practices and empowering researchers across the EAC Partner States.

“We are enthusiastic about participating in this process and we take pride in the fact that East Africa, particularly the East African Community, is establishing a precedent in Africa by incorporating Open Science into its regional STI Policy,” states Ms. Joy Owango, Executive Director of the Training Centre in Communication. “This will serve as a basis for understanding and applying this regional policy to meet the specific needs of the East African countries and we are eager to collaborate with them in order to help them achieve their national goals in Open Science,” she says.

The journey kicked-off with a series of national dialogues, with the inaugural national Open Science dialogue that took place in Tanzania in February 2023, followed by another session in Kenya in September 2023. With the policy groundwork in place, the partnership is now focused on expanding its reach to the remaining EAC nations. Plans are underway to hold similar national dialogues in in the Partner States, in an effort to identify each nation’s specific needs and barriers to adopting Open Science practices. 

“I am truly thrilled to see the inclusion of Open Science in regional STI Policy. Open Science has the potential to make the scientific process more transparent, inclusive and equitable,” remarked Roheena Anand, Executive Director of Global Publishing Development at PLOS. “Our collaboration with TCC Africa and EASTECO has focused on facilitating and supporting both regional and national high-level Open Science policy dialogues with key higher-education stakeholders. These discussions have added to our understanding of the barriers to participation and will enable us to work towards solutions that address them. We look forward to evolving our learning with the remaining EAC countries,” she added.

‘’It is a dream come true for the East African region, considering the efforts being made to increase the capacity of the region to disseminate research findings and to access scientific production from other parts of the world. Through this initiative, we look forward to enhanced visibility and to leverage on the numerous benefits of open science to support widening and deepening of the integration agenda’’, said Dr. Sylvance Okoth, Executive Secretary of EASTECO.

Open Science principles promote the free and open dissemination of research outputs, data, and scientific information, facilitating collaboration, reproducibility, and societal engagement in the research process. Its inclusion in the policy unleashes new opportunities for innovation, economic growth, and sustainable development by breaking down barriers to accessing and building upon scientific knowledge. As the EAC embarks on this journey, the partnership between TCC Africa, PLOS, and EASTECO stands ready to support and empower stakeholders in realizing the full benefits of open and equitable research practices.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of East African Community.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.

The Water Convention has facilitated the First round of Technical&Planning Negotiations of the Draft ‘Agreement on the Establishment of the Luapula River and Lake Mweru Authority between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia on 18 and 19 April, concerning the transboundary Lake Mweru and Luapula River, a tributary of the Congo River, shared by both countries.

During both days, the two Parties exchanged views and agreed on the language, content, scope and objectives of the proposed draft agreement, as well as a road map to complete the negotiation. The two Parties hailed the outcome of the meeting and resolved to expedite the process of concluding the negotiations on the proposed Draft Bilateral Agreement, which aims to increase the level of cooperation between Zambia and DRC.

To support the process, the negotiation meeting was preceded by a capacity-building training on the use of the “Practical Guide for the Development of Agreements or Other Arrangements for Transboundary Water Cooperation” with inter-ministerial delegations from DRC and Zambia on 17th April 2024. The Secretariat and other senior experts, including Members of the Water Convention’s Implementation Committee, provided concrete examples from existing agreements, many which are contained in the Practical Guide, for consideration by the countries.

Completing the series of back-to-back meetings in Livingstone, the Water Convention used this opportunity of being together in Zambia for the Workshop on Water Allocation, WEFE Nexus and Developing Agreements on 15-16 April to organize separate parallel meetings for two Twinning Initiatives on 17 April. In May 2023, Namibia and Finland launched a Twinning Initiative under the Convention which includes a focus on transboundary water allocation, hydro-diplomacy and monitoring and assessment.

In December 2023, Zambia, Ghana and Hungary embarked on a Convention Twinning Initiative that also involves transboundary water allocation, hydro-diplomacy among its technical areas of cooperation. In Livingstone, delegations from each of the countries involved met to continue exchanging experiences and capacity on key topics in seeking solutions to pressing common challenges.

Funding for the Training and Negotiations was provided by the European Union and the Ministry of Water Development and Sanitation of Zambia. Northumbria University and University College Cork were partners in organizing and implementing the Training on the Practical Guide.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

Adesina delivers keynote address as Islamic Development Bank marks its 50th anniversary; Climate and health initiatives are of paramount importance. 

African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina has emphasized the critical need for significantly increased financing to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Speaking at the Islamic Development Bank’s 50th anniversary celebrations in Riyadh, he highlighted a growing annual financial shortfall of $4 trillion, a gap that threatens to derail efforts to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

Adesina addressed a distinguished audience including high-level officials, financial leaders and private sector representatives gathered to mark the occasion. The session focused on assessing the financial strategies essential for advancing global development amidst a landscape marked by economic instability and escalating environmental challenges.

African Development Bank President said the current annual gap of $4 trillion, up from $2.5 trillion in 2015, has been propelled by recent global economic pressures and the lingering impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. He detailed the critical role of multilateral development banks in addressing these needs through increased collaboration and innovative financial solutions.

Strategic Response to Pressing Global Issues

Adesina also spotlighted the African Development Bank’s strategic High 5 program as a cornerstone for progress, as underscored by an independent analysis by the United Nations Development Program. The High 5s—namely; Light Up and Power Africa; Feed Africa, Industrialize Africa, Integrate Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa—are not just ambitious goals but a strategic blueprint for the continent. Achieving these High 5s, he pointed out, would mean accomplishing nearly 90% of the Sustainable Development Goals for Africa.

In this regard, Adesina highlighted five core areas where immediate action and innovative funding are crucial: Climate change, food security, energy access, health security, and mobilizing more resources for SDGs.

Climate Change: The African Development Bank president Adesina described climate change as the most significant challenge to achieving the SDGs, detailing the devastation it brings to economies through droughts, floods, and cyclones. Africa is the worst affected region in the world, yet it receives the least in terms of climate financing. “Africa will need $277 billion per year to address climate change, yet it receives only $30 billion annually.” The African Development Bank, Adesina said, “has set a target to raise $25 billion for climate adaptation by 2025.”

Food Security: He also addressed the issue of volatile food prices exacerbated by geopolitical conflicts, supply disruptions and trade restrictive practices of some major food exporters. Adesina reiterated the African Development Bank’s commitment of $25 billion to support Africa become self-sufficient in food by 2030. He shared with the audience key successes in transforming agricultural productivity and food security across Africa. He mentioned the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program, which has already delivered climate-resilient crop varieties of wheat, maize, and rice to 13 million farmers. Ethiopia, through the introduction of heat-tolerant wheat varieties provided by the TAAT program, has achieved self-sufficiency in wheat production within four years and has become a net exporter of wheat. He thanked the Islamic Development Bank for committing $7 billion during the Feed Africa summit held early last year by the African Development Bank, the African Union and the government of Senegal. The summit brought together 34 heads of state and government who developed country-led food and agricultural delivery compacts to achieve food security by 2030.

Energy Access: Highlighting the disparity in electricity access, where over 675 million people worldwide lack electricity with 80% of them in sub-Saharan Africa, he underscored the Bank’s efforts through the Desert-to-Power initiative. This project is developing 10,000 megawatts of solar power across the Sahel and will provide electricity access for 250 million people.

Health Security: With a significant gap in health services in Africa, Adesina advocated for increased investment in health infrastructure and local pharmaceutical capacities to prepare for future pandemics. He pointed to the current annual investment of $4.5 billion in health infrastructure as significantly insufficient when measured against the actual need of $25 billion. He emphasized the need for self-reliance in healthcare, particularly in preparation for future pandemics, citing the hard lessons that Africa learned from the Covid-19 pandemic. To counteract this, the African Development Bank Group has committed $3 billion towards quality health infrastructure and a further $3 billion for developing the pharmaceutical industry in Africa. This includes a substantial investment to facilitate the production of medicines and vaccines directly on the continent, bolstered by the creation of the Africa Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation, which aims to broaden access to vital technologies and intellectual property rights.

Mobilizing Resources: Addressing the need for innovative financing, the African Development Bank president spoke of groundbreaking steps taken by the African Development Bank, such as the issuance of $750 million in landmark hybrid capital. This financial instrument, a first for multilateral development banks, is intended to serve as equity, enhancing the Bank’s lending capacity. He also said that, in a joint initiative with the Inter-American Development Bank, the African Development Bank is pioneering the use of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) as hybrid capital, subject to approval by the IMF’s board. This move could potentially quadruple the Bank’s leverage capacity, significantly amplifying the financial resources available for SDGs.

Additionally, Adesina underscored the pivotal role of the private sector in scaling up SDG investments from billions to trillions. He advocated for harnessing the power of the $128 trillion in global institutional investor assets through more extensive use of guarantees, development of investable projects, and addressing foreign exchange and currency risks.

In his introductory remarks, the president of the Islamic Development Bank Dr Mohammed Al Jasser said crises such as climate change, the pandemic, and ongoing conflicts continue to threaten the hard-won gains achieved over decades.

In addition, Al Jasser said “the stark reality we face is that the global financial system has not kept pace with the urgency required to realize the SDGs. We must collectively work towards a global financial system that fosters a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future.”

“It is within this context that Islamic finance adds value – prioritizing not just financial returns, but the holistic well-being of individuals and our planet. Its principles of shared prosperity, risk-sharing, and ethical investment present a clear path toward bridging the SDGs financing gap,” he said.

Engaging Global Leaders for Collective Action

In his call to action to achieve the ambitious goals set forth by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Adesina said, “the call by the UN Secretary General for a $500 billion per year SDG stimulus package should be fully supported.”

“The developed countries need to increase support by devoting at least 0.70% of their gross national income to official development assistance,” Adesina added, among other critical actions.

His message was clear: “Let’s give hope to the world by delivering on these goals for a sustainable and equitable future!”.

Later on Sunday, Adesina held a series of bilateral meetings with key government officials and development institutions in Riyadh.

The Bank Group president together with the CEO of Saudi Exim Bank Eng. Saad Al-Khalb signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen bilateral trade and cooperation between the Kingdom and the African continent. Saudi Arabia’s Governor to the African Development Bank, Deputy Chair of the International Monetary and Financial Committee Dr Ryadh M. Alkhareif witnessed the signing of the MoU.

The Saudi Fund for Development and the African Development Bank Group also signed a memorandum of understanding to promote sustainable international development by financing projects and programs in beneficiary countries in Africa.

The agreement was signed at the Fund’s headquarters by the CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development, Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshad and Adesina.

The signing ceremony was attended by the Governor of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Ryadh bin Mohammed Alkhareif, and SFD’s Executive Vice President Eng. Faisal bin Mohammad Al-Qahtani.

Through the MoU, the two sides will work to exchange experiences and knowledge, promote best practices in co-financing, contribute to achieving sustainable development goals and maximize development impact, among others.

Dr. Adesina’s speech: https://apo-opa.co/3UhsZRe

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Media contact:
Communication and External Relations Department,
media@afdb.org

About the African Development Bank Group: 
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 34 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org