500 scientists set to examine Africa's technology, innovation performance

Abstract

Over 500 scientists from Africa and the world have confirmed their participation in the forthcoming First Session of the Committee on Development Information, Science and Technology (CODIST I) billed for Addis Ababa from 29 April to 1 May 2009, Ms Aida Opoku-Mensah, Director of Information Science and Technology Division told journalists in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Expressing optimism about the meeting’s outcomes, she said that it would “create an opportunity for benchmarking Africa’s innovation performance against such key pillars of the knowledge economy as education and capacity building, ICT infrastructure, regulatory and economic and institutional regimes and lay the groundwork for the development of the ECA’s two-year programme on ICT, Science & Technology for Development.” Ms Opoku-Mensah explained the significance of the theme of the meeting, which is, “Scientific Development, Innovation and the Knowledge Economy” with two sub-themes on “the Enabling Environment for Innovation” and “Innovation and Economic Growth.” In the light of the current global financial crisis, Ms Opoku-Mensah stressed that Science and Technology Innovation and the Knowledge Economy will gain greater importance for Africa to assure its future growth.