SADC Reviews Progress on Science and Innovation Protocol
The Strengthening Research and Innovation Management II program coordinated the draft report presentation.
PRETORIA, South Africa - The Southern African Development Community (SADC) presented a draft report on the implementation of the SADC Protocol on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) during a meeting in Pretoria on 6 December, writes Winston Mwale.
The draft outlined the extent to which SADC member states have effectively implemented the protocol within their nations, according to Reaboka Morakabi, a program officer with the SADC Secretariat.
Morakabi said the report aims to "streamline and evaluate data" and provide guidance for reviewing the STI protocol.
"Political will and stability in member states has been a major contributing factor to successfully domesticating and implementing the STI protocol," Morakabi said at the Science Forum.
Other factors include establishing departments, agencies and systems to promote and coordinate STI efforts in member states.
The existence of supportive policies, legislation, regulations and national development frameworks has also helped incorporate the protocol domestically, he said.
Morakabi cited member states' interest in regional integration, public engagement efforts, infrastructure improvements and participation in regional and international affairs as additional reasons for progress.
The Strengthening Research and Innovation Management II program coordinated the draft report presentation.
The three-year program is a collaboration between the SADC Secretariat and the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association, with funding from South Africa's Department of Science and Innovation.
"Cooperation is key for SADC's research and innovation goals," Morakabi said.