By Africa Links 24
Published on 2024-02-01 07:19:53
The African continent has long struggled to have a significant influence in the critical sectors of science, technology, and innovation (STI). Historically, funding for scientific research in Africa has come largely from external sources such as the UK, the US, and Asia, as well as organizations like the World Bank. Despite the African Union’s insistence that 1% of GDP should be allocated for research and development, the average gross domestic expenditure on R&D in sub-Saharan Africa has remained stagnant at around 0.3% for the past three decades. This is nine times lower than the average for high-income countries.
Private sector funding in Africa’s STI sector is insufficient to fill the gap, and there is little coordination between private sector and government contributions, leaving a significant funding gap for African scientific research. This has led to a lack of equity and inclusivity in global science, and an insufficient number of scholars and PhD graduates being produced in Africa. With only 198 researchers per million people, the African continent lags significantly behind the global average and far behind countries like the UK and USA.
Despite these challenges, progress has been made in the past two decades, particularly in publication outputs by African scientists and in cutting-edge research areas like genomics. However, the overall landscape remains fragmented and underfunded, limiting Africa’s voice in global challenges.
To address these issues, the University of Pretoria’s Future Africa platform has partnered with the International Science Council (ISC) to develop a pan-African solution. This initiative aims to redefine the value proposition of the African STI ecosystem by addressing capacities, resources, and opportunities, and showcasing African scientific strengths globally. Additionally, they aim to amplify Africa’s influence in global science policymaking.
One of the concrete steps towards this vision is the proposal to establish an African STI leadership forum, which will bring together Africa’s academies of science, representative unions, science policy experts, STI ministries, and funders. This forum will meet regularly to work on specific issues, influence development initiatives, raise awareness, and advocate for Africa at the global level. They will also collaborate with the private sector to boost investment in scientific research and support innovative ideas.
The goal of these collaborative efforts is to unlock Africa’s scientific potential and assert its influential role in shaping the global narrative of science and innovation. By encouraging the private sector and national governments to invest in STI, there is a significant opportunity for Africa to produce a new generation of world-leading scientists, researchers, and innovators.
In conclusion, while Africa’s STI sector has historically been underfunded and fragmented, there is hope for the future through collaborative efforts aimed at boosting investment and creating a pan-African vision for scientific research and innovation. The establishment of a leadership forum and partnerships with the private sector represent a promising path towards unlocking Africa’s scientific potential and increasing its global influence in the field of STI.
