Internship experiences with World Federation of Science Journalism (WFSJ)

By Violet Mengo, Zambia

People speak highly about their internship but it was never the case with me because I have never gone through one. The opportunity only fell through recently under the peer-to-peer mentoring programme. The destination was Kenya, at the Hotel, SIX EIGHTY (680) to cover the first African forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) on youth empowerment, Human Capital Development and Inclusive Growth.
Later that night, we had a meeting with the mentor on how we would proceed for the week. It was a busy programme ahead, which I digested with passion. Our mentor emphasized the use of social media, twitter and Facebook to be precise. In the morning, we were set for the meeting which was attended by a cross section of delegates, mostly ministers of S, T&I from the African Continent.
For the first time, I used the social media tools; twitter, face book on the proceedings of the conference. I was excited and these helped me to concentrate unlike previous meetings where during the proceedings I would start dozing.
From the conference, it was amazing to see the zeal of African leaders to move the science, technology and innovation in the African agenda. The three days attendance at the conference was busy, motivating and also interactive. Busy in the sense that in I was required to present at least an article to my mentor who kept advising on how to do good stories and interview from sources. Motivating because of the involvement of people at the conference and how they were willing and dedicated to their calls for science and development in Africa. Interactive because it helped broaden my network and meet new people and make friends.
After the conference, we also had the opportunity to visit Science Development Network offices where the African Editor took us through how the online publication was managed. He said told us the traits of a good journalist like some of the qualities found on the online course I did in the first phase of the SJCOOP programme. As always, I was motivated but still complained that each time I pitch an idea to scidev.net, it is short down but will try again and again.
Save the best for last; the trip to ICRAF was amazing and full of intelligent people who know their subject well. In all these activities the mentor kept encouraging us to have an eye for news. I wanted the programme to continue and I asked Esther if she could ask WFSJ to extend the internship for another week. The programme WSFJ in general has been a transformation phase in my career development. It has also helped me increase my network and source base. Ends


By Maxwell Awumah, GHANA
My experience at the first Africa Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (ASTI) under the WFSJ, gave me an overwhelming capability that has added a new dimension to my competency in science reporting.
Firstly, the choice, content and depth of the conference, its venue, Nairobi, Kenya, was not misplaced at all. The experience could be described as “gargantuan and enriching.” The internship offered me the opportunity to have a practical experience with tweeting and blogging and for the first time, a serious practical hands-on on social networking platform.
The experience from the sessions of the conference has given me weight to be able to write about STI and issues emanating chest out from governmental, academia, researchers, private sector and youth point of view, for instance member states commitment to STI funding came out strongly. This has accorded me the opportunity to monitor member country’s contributions and generate the necessary questions. I had a new string of networking platform with the experts from Africa and outside the continent as well.
My greatest achievement was a discussion with my Minister of Environment, Science and Technology to begin the production of a sector newsletter, for which they were searching for a committed individual. Even though the discussions were inconclusive, it signaled a good beginning.
The visit to the offices of Scidev was another tipping-point as we had thought invigorating advice from Ochieng Ogodo, Sub-Saharan African Editor, who urged Mentees to always “think out of the box and avoid the usual things to excel.” We had the privilege to be guest of Science Africa, to familiarise with their activities and to open links of contributing articles.
The visit to the International Centre for Research and Agro-Forestry (ICRAG) offices climaxed the internship. The centre is in the process of developing a soil map for Africa and with the state-of-the-art spectral diagnostics laboratory analyses soil-plant health for the continent and beyond. We had the opportunity of running through the various laboratories and forged networking for future engagements. The centre holds the crème of expert on African issues.
The anti-climax of the internship was waiting for over three hours to pave way for President Mwai Kibaki to address the STI session under tight security. Another is the erratic nature of Internet access both at the conference and Sixeigthy Hotel.
I can only say a BIG Thanks to SjCOOP, WFSJ and my Mentor for the opportunity, which had broaden my horizon to “smell science story” from afar and report it. My Mentor, Esther Nakkazi, has been phenomenal. Your advice on the need to add independent views on the declaration or communiqué was refreshing. It did not click to me.

By Arsénio Manhice; Mozambique
It was a great pleasure for me to take part at the 1st Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in Nairobi, Kenya from 1 to 3 April 2012. I had been covering many international conferences around the world but the 1st STI Forum was different.
First because it was an internship for me and the other three (3) mentees mentored by Ms. Esther Nakkazi since the beginning of the second edition of the Sjcoop project under the World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ).
It means that besides collecting information and writing stories for my newsroom in Maputo –Mozambique, I had to exchange professional ideas with the other mentees. On this point we analyzed the way each of us write for his/her newsroom, compared to the skills we have been learning from our mentor.
On the mentoring program I would like to focus on what I learnt on covering the STI conference:
1. Coverage; During the covering of any conference it is import to hear what the panelists say but, at the end, we must get the comments/reactions of other participants of the forum such as scientists and governs officials.
2. Writing; Before writing a new story it is important to find out what has been written about that topic. So, background information is very important. When writing we must avoid in our stories words such as:…. the scientist; observed; recommend; informed, etc. To use different sources…...
During the conference I had an opportunity of taking some pictures. I like that because my mentor and the other mentees asked me to capture special pictures for them.
After the conference, we had a meeting with Mr. Ochieng Ogodo. His teaching emphasized what I have been learning from my mentor, Esther Nakkazi. He said we needed to read widely and understand the topics we were writing about and more importantly to respect the perspectives of the publications we are collaborating with as well as to be accurate and honest on our assignments.
I would like to say that sometimes we, mentees, do not imagine what our mentors do to help on our professional development. The visit at the World Forestry Centre (ICRAF) was a unique opportunity to talk with the scientists, the majority of them young.
During the internship, I decided to open a twitter account, which I will use for professionals comments. We also posted our stories and my pictures on a blog and on the Scjoop website. I wouldn’t end my notes without mentioning the informal moments we had and discussed issues of our countries. The internship was really fantastic.
I thank the WFSJ and my mentor Esther Nakkazi who always spends her time trying to show me the other way of doing journalism on STI. Today I have 9 awards of Journalism. I have to say that 3 of them are result of the teaching of my mentor. ends

Africa Needs to be in the Drivers Seat in Research

By Violet Nakamba Mengo (Zambia) SCIENCE experts and delegates attending the first Africa Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation in Nairobi, Kenya 1st to 3rd April 2012, are looking for African solutions to African problems. The call is for African governments to fund and promote research and development on the continent. United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Technology Division Director Aida Opolu-Mensah said during the official opening that for a long time Africa’s science and technology program has been set by the continent’s development partners. “We need to be in the “driving seat” if Africa is the new pole of growth, the continent has to be in the driving seat,” Mensah said. He said Africa has to invest its own resources in the science and technology that they want to use in order to achieve new growth. Mensah called upon African countries to fund science and technology programs from their national budgets, not to rely on “gifts” from international partners. In 2006, the African Union set a target for all member countries to spend at least one percent of their gross domestic product on science research and development. According to research from an A.U. development program, known as NEPAD, only Uganda, Malawi and South Africa have reached that target. African economies have grown rapidly during the past decade, and are predicted to continue expanding by most estimates. The International Monetary Fund expects African economies to grow by nearly six percent this in 2012.

African Development Bank Vice President Kamal El Khesten pointed out that growth does not necessarily equate to development. “This growth was not satisfactorily inclusive, in spite of double-digit growth rates in many countries; the occurrence of jobless growth has become the order of the day. The challenge is to address the disparity between skills development and the actual requirements of the labor market,” he said. El Khestan said Africa needs to invest in higher education to prepare for jobs in science and technology for young people who are at the centre at attention of the conference in terms of youth employment. There is no shortage of advice and guidance on science and technology development in Africa. The African Union has made numerous declarations on the subject, starting with the 2005 consolidated plan of action. The United Nations has its own recommendations, as do most international development agencies working in the continent. Association for the Development of Education in Africa Chairman Dzingai Mutumbuka said many of these good ideas are never put into action. He hopes this forum will be different. “It is time that we as Africans move away from arrogant conference resolutions to implementation,” he said. The three days forum hopes to take some concrete actions in designing possible responses to water, energy and biodiversity needs in Africa.

African Universities should collaborate and Network in STI

By VIOLET NAKAMBA MENGO (ZAMBIA)
 African governments have come to a new deal on Science, Technology and Innovation marked by better coordination on the implementation of plans and activities to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The new deal, explained Beatrice Njenga, Njenga, head education division, Department of Human Resource, Science and Technology at the Pan African University (PAU) is a new way of cooperation among governments, private sector and the non-governmental organisations. This is against a backdrop of many African research centres being trapped in a vicious circle of little funding leading to low quality research with truncated social and economic relevance.
 The African Union Commission’s vision is an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa which is driven by Africans and representing a dynamic force in the global area. Njenga says the deal calls for all the states to work together in setting priorities right that are aimed at enhancing science and innovation on the continent by focusing at one goal. Instead of member states concentrating on building national capacity for development of science and technology, Africans should target having a few institutions that can serve the continent with quality. It also envisages the need for intra –Africa universities collaboration and networking.
 “For impact to be visible on the continent in science development every one of us must play a role in enhancing higher education through establishing institutions on the continent that will stand the taste of time,” she said. She called for the need to also facilitate mobility of internationally renowned professors and researchers in PAU institutions and also getting support from Africans in diaspora.
She said science, technology and innovation is above politics, as it is central to Africa’s self-determination, welfare of the people and ensuring a stable present and a proud and prosperous future. “This is the sector that will determine who and what Africa will be as a global partner in wealth creation, environmental management and sustainable development,” says Ms Njenga. African Union Commission, heads of states and government are working towards aligning programmes with priorities collectively agreed by member states. As a result there is need to strengthen collaboration with leading universities and Pan African Universities. The PAU aims to support scientific research, knowledge sharing and teaching. Its targets is to develop and retain world-class human resources in areas essential to Africa's development through stimulating fundamental and applied research of the highest quality in critical areas. ends

Africa must harmonise the initiatives on ST&I

By Arsénio Manhice (Mozambique)

The initiatives of public and private sectors on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) must be synchronised if Africa is to develop and eradicate poverty which affects, mostly rural communities, said Kabiru Kinyanjui, the Coordinator of Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in Africa at the Association for Development for Education in Africa (ADEA). Kinyanjui was speaking at the official opening of a three-day ST&I conference under the theme: “For Youth Employment, Human Capital Developments and Inclusive Growth”.
His speech was part of a session on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Education and Labor Market in Africa. Held in Nairobi, Kenya from 1st to 3rd April 2012. “The strategies of the African nations should be to create jobs and, at the same time, to improve the teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) from foundation to university”, he said. The graduates should not be trained only for private sector but to be able to create their own initiatives in the societies. For example, there are new findings of gas, coal and other mineral resources in Mozambique. The young people must take advantage of this without waiting to be employed.

Although the Governments are implementing some educational programs as a response to the challenges, Kinyanjui says job creation is not readily available.
The scenario is worsened considering the number of graduates who are not in employment. “This happens because the economics models adopted in many countries are not directed to job creation.
The schools must teach skills for the present and future challenges”, he said. The aid from Europe, Asian and American continents must be brought and implemented considering the traditional knowledge of many communities in Africa. Media on the move The media must be involved in plans related to STI being implemented in Africa.
Kinyanjui understands that the media is very critical for dissemination of informing on what is going on. The media can also initiate debate on how the countries can develop science, technology and innovation.
“Every day we are told about new resources found in Africa. We need to turn these into opportunities to young people. The media need to bring that on the debate”, he observed. About the Forum, his opinion is favorable but the event only can be a good initiative as far as the countries implement the decisions because in many cases Africa makes declaration but are not being implemented.
This must change. The same position was taken by Christopher Tan, director Electrical & Electronics and Innovation Economic Transformation Programme, at the Performance Management & Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) under Prime Minister’s office, Government of Malaysia.
The Ministries of Education and Science must work together on the contents of the books used to teach. At the same time, the universities, the public and the private sector need to coordinate better their programs on education. The use of STI must be part of the process of education. Apart from that, people too must be keen to learn about the use of STI in their lives.

Kibaki awards youth innovations at STI Forum

Kibaki award youth innovators at the first STI Forum in Nairobi (Photo By Arsenio Manhice) By Maxwell Awumah (Ghana) It would take drastic multi-sectoral collaboration across the private sector, academia, and research scientists to bring African inventions and innovations from the research laboratories and staples to the market place. Young scientists are still looking up the skies waiting for breakthroughs to stable finances and collaborations across the innovation pipelines and ecosystems for actual implementation of ideas. This represents the concerns of young scientists and inventors, who were honored by H.E Mwai Kibaki, the president of Kenya for distinguishing themselves in their fields of research at the first African Forum on Science, Technology and STI for Youth Employment, Human Capital Development and Inclusive Growth in Nairobi, Kenya. An awardee, Morris Mbetsa, Chief Executive Officer of Mbetsa Innovations, who designed an ICT appliance that uses mobile phone to track car and other security systems, said his company would need partners and financial resources to reproduce the invention enmasse. He expressed difficulty with breaking the jinx and appealed to public and private entities to rise up towards moving the inventions to the next and crucial phase. Another inventor, Calvince Okello, CEO of M-Shamba, with an innovation in the use of mobile phone as an interactive medium for the dissemination of agri-information said “dreams are good but practicalising them is better.” “Support from all fronts has been elusive,” he told WFSJ. CEO of Kupata Technology, Elijah Kupata innovator of a 3G Mobile remote camera with the capacity to record effigies of intruders. Two institutions, the Moi University and the Machakos Technical Training Institute won in the institutional category. They discovered the tanning of dyes and the separation of the various colors components and innovation based on seed absorbing in addition to the a system to sieve sand. President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, who presented awards and certificates to the inventors and innovators pledged government’s support. The awards were sponsored by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Africa needs to apply STI in its water and sanitation sector

By Vivienne Irikefe(Nigeria) At the first Forum for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in Nairobi Kenya, a session on water and sanitation agreed that trained professionals are needed in this sector and government and donor partnership was emphasized for enhanced funds to reform existing institutions, train and provide efficient water supply, design septic tanks, latrines and proper disposal of waste that can be accessed by all Africans. The idea was to look at issues of STI that can be applied in the water resources sector including sanitation. Participants deliberated on challenges and opportunities that will investigate mechanisms that can lead to solutions and suggest the way forward at the plenary in a consultative manner. The provocateur, Paul Ginies, from the International Institute for water and Environmental Engineering Burkina Faso, said that Africa lacks qualified engineers in essential areas in water management, irrigation and sanitation and stressed that awareness is fundamental for people to be able to differentiate between clean water and safe drinking water. A science programme specialist with UNESCO, Alexandros Makarigakis, who was one of the rapporteurs, said the Africa water vision for 2025 for equitable and sustainable use of water for socio-economic development has to be reviewed.

Scientists at one of the sessions at the First Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation in Nairobi, Kenya 1-3 April 2012, (Photo By Arsenio Manhice) He argued that the vision was a very innovative document at the time it was conceptualized but since then new challenges have surfaced like climate change because it will change not only the current surface water resources quantities but also it will put additional pressure on ground water systems. Dr Makarigakis explained that due to climate change the rainfall patterns would alter having extreme events taking place more often like floods and droughts. This affects agriculture and food production, which is basically the livelihood of the ordinary man in Africa who relies on rain fed agriculture. One of the participants Prof. Abdalla Abdelsalam Ahmed from Islamic University, Sudan said we need water resources assessment and evaluation in Africa and focus on providing people with the knowledge for saving water as a precious gift. As a part of innovation, a chemist Dr. Florence Tobo Lobe from Cameroon suggested that in places with scarcity of water, humidity in the air could be captured as water, purified for drinking and other uses. About 4.2 billion people suffer from water and sanitation worldwide according to the World Health Organization and Africa has the highest percentage. The session also highlighted the importance of community involvement and how African youths can be carried along to take advantage of the immense job opportunities in the fields of water and sanitation.

Africa needs to invest in science, technology and innovation

Margaret J. Kamar Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Kenya (Photo by Arsenio Manhice) By VIOLET MENGO (Zambia) The first African Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI)taking place in Nairobi, Kenya has highlighted the need to invest in this key sector to foster sustainable growth and development and provide job opportunities for youth and women. And African countries have been called upon to embrace and utilise relevant science, technology and creatively innovate to ensure viable development. Speaking at the official opening of the conference, Kenyan Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Margaret Kamar said African countries will only be able to effectively confront some of the pressing challenges of development when STI is effectively utilised. “The problems of youth unemployment, inadequacies in human capital development and inclusive growth will be achieved when we (Africans) take seriously STIs,” Ms Kamar said. The Forum is an African initiative and looks at achievements made in this domain across the continent, highlighting best practices and policies. It also seeks to strengthen North-South and South-South cooperation, partnerships between the private and public sectors and cooperation between institutions of higher education. The conference is sponsored by UNESCO with the African Union Commission (AU), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and the Kenyan Ministry of Higher Education Science and Technology. Ms Karmar said the conference is going to provide an excellent opportunity to share experiences especially best practices from all over the world, on science, technology and innovation policies, strategies and mechanisms. The STI is an African initiative aimed at raising importance of science and technologies among policy makers, private sector, schools and society in general. The Kenyan minister said promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship; especially those which have greatest potential for effective creation of youth employment should be encouraged on the continent. “We will hear of measures that have successfully harnessed science, technology and innovation to enhance the participation of women, youth and other marginalised groups in societies,” she said. She said all these will create an informed and enabling environment for African countries to make urgent decisions on the importance of investment in STI. Participants include experts, scientists, decision makers, youth, academics, representatives of the private sector and civil society. Among some of the subjects tackled include the need for graduates to have the skills required by employers, how funding can be increased for African research and development, and innovative ways to improve youth employment. United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) director, ICT science and technology Division Aida Opoku Mensah said If Africa has to continue registering positive economic growth, there is a need to address Africa’s innovation system. “A critical foundation of any innovation system is education and investing in its youth,” Mr Mensah said. This is because education system plays a vital role in human development and entrepreneurship Mr Mensah said competitions that cultivate in students enquiry and problem-solving skills and encourage them to address real life challenges should be encouraged. According to UNESCO's Science Report 2010, research and development (R&D) in Africa attracts significantly less public funding than other sectors such as education or health. Only some 0.3% of GDP is dedicated to R&D on average across the continent. This is seven times less than the investment made in industrialised countries. The Report shows that education is another obstacle. Access to higher education remains limited, and in 2008 enrolment was below 4 percent in one country out of four. Additionally, the report states that brain drain is severely affecting the continent: in 2009, the Network of African Science Academies estimated that at least one-third of Africa's scientists and technology graduates were living and working in developed countries. ENDS

Governance Deficits Challenges Development of STI

By Maxwell Awumah, Governance deficits and over-reliance on developmental aid has been identified as critical challenges to the development of Science, Technology and Innovation in Africa. Investment must come from member country’s national allocated budgets and not from gifts, aid or donor-driven. “Africa needs visionary leaders with clear sense of dignity, integrity and sovereignty for development especially in STI declares Aida Opoku-Mensah, Director, ICTs and Science Technology Division (ISTI) of UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). “There must be conscious effort to generate the needed investments to propel the continent’s STI architecture for transformational development that is lacking. If we fail, it will be to our detriment,” she adds. Speaking to the WFSJ on the sideline of the first Africa STI Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, she said “shirking internally generated support to fund science, technology and innovation will redouble the yawning gap.” “The touted socio-economic development of country’s christened as Asia Tigers was knotted on STI and Africa cannot remain where it is now without looking ahead.” Opoku-Mensah said “Africa’s future is tied to its youth. Meeting their aspirations remain monumental challenges as evidenced by the Arab spring. Clamouring for economic improvement needs to be addressed otherwise a looming African spring beckons.” Dr George Afeti, development consultant said investment deficits involving prioritising and misdirection of funds constitute one aspect of the problem. Getting the people to appreciate the involvement of the private sector participation in STI will open many more doors for rapid development in Africa. “Cup-in-hand syndrome of financing development on the continent must cease, henceforth. There is no sustainability in begging.” Develop projects continue to spring up across Africa at the expense of bolstering STI architecture. He advocated leadership of Africa to redouble efforts at legislating science policies as it has the capacity to chart a new course, coordinate all related activities and partnerships in finding common solutions to common problems.

Africa’s Leadership Must Legislate Development of STI

Nairobi, April 1 Maxwell Awumah, The Kenyan government has taken a giant leap by developing a new STI policy, legislation and innovation systems to guide entrench the policy into the national development agenda. As part of the policy strategy, university and tertiary education and training has similar boost towards the implementation of sound STI to spearhead development. Professor Margaret Kamar, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Kenya disclosed this to WFSJ at the first Africa Forum on STI for Youth Employment, Human Capital Development and Inclusive Growth in Nairobi, Kenya.

(Photo By Arsenio Manhice) She believed this strategy will reposition the country to survive in the fast growing globalized knowledge-based world. “We believe these strategies will broaden the scope, policy, strategy, quality and quantity of teaching and learning of STI towards the continent’s rapid growth.” She is optimistic that “resolutions adopted at the end of the sessions will move Africa forward.” “This is the time to move from declarations, resolutions and models to real action. I hope the resolutions to be adopted will move Africa forward.” “STI has the capacity to move the continent’s aspiration to the next level and the economic imperatives will be determined on how we held the youth and contain them,” Aida Opoku-Mensah, Director ICT, Science and Technology Division, UNECA says. “Africa should invest its own resources in achieving the needed growth. This is time to be in the driving seat and refrain from depending on the agenda- setting of development partners,” she cautions stating that mindsets of academia, politicians, civil society groupings should change towards mainstreaming STI for accelerated development. Kamal El Kheshen, Vice President AfDB said “The continent ought to be knowledge producers and consumers of Africa’s contents than consumers of foreign products in all spheres.” He called for scaling up and collaboration of STI across board to engender social inclusiveness, competitiveness to help the informal sector to leapfrog and lead socio-economic development of the continent. Gretchen Kalonji, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, UNESCO said his outfit is championing strategies to support inclusive growth, employment opportunities and sustainable development in Africa. Jean-Pierre Ezin, Commissioner for Human Resources , Science and Technology, AUC challenged the African Association of Sciences and the African University Associations to lead the STI crusade, fashion out a common strategy in order to network skills and resources to achieve accelerated development. “Priority in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is driving the 2015 consolidated plan of action, which seeks to bring radical changes into the STI landscape in Africa.” The three-day forum is aimed to fast-track the development and implements sustainable solutions to Africa’s development challenges and mainstreaming entrepreneurship, SME development and innovation into STI concept. It was organized by the Kenyan government and the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and the UNESCO in collaboration with the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA).

Africa Leadership Must Legislate Development of STI

Nairobi, April 1 By Maxwell Awumah Professor Margaret Kamar, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Kenya has said leadership of the continent must legislate the development of science, technology and innovation (STI) and guide its entrenchment into development paradigms to survive in the globalization and knowledge-based world. This calls for radical transformation of tertiary education and investment in institutions of higher learning to broaden the scope, policy, strategy, quality and quantity of teaching and learning of STI towards the continent’s rapid growth. Speaking at the opening of the first Africa Forum on STI for Youth Employment, Human Capital Development and Inclusive Growth, in Nairobi Kenya, she is optimistic that “resolutions adopted at the end of the sessions will move Africa forward.” It was organized by the Kenyan government and the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and the UNESCO in collaboration with the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA). “This is the time to move from declarations, resolutions and models to real action.” “STI has the capacity to move the continent’s aspiration to the next level and the economic imperatives will be determined on how we held the youth and contain them,” Aida Opoku-Mensah, Director ICT, Science and Technology Division, UNECA says. “Africa should invest its own resources in achieving the needed growth. This is time to be in the driving seat and refrain from depending on the agenda- setting of development partners,” she cautions stating that mindsets of academia, politicians, civil society groupings should change towards mainstreaming STI for accelerated development. Kamal El Kheshen, Vice President AfDB said “The continent ought to be knowledge producers and consumers of Africa’s contents than consumers of foreign products in all spheres.” He called for scaling up and collaboration of STI across board to engender social inclusiveness, competitiveness to help the informal sector to leapfrog and lead socio-economic development of the continent. Gretchen Kalonji, Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, UNESCO said his outfit is championing strategies to support inclusive growth, employment opportunities and sustainable development in Africa. Jean-Pierre Ezin, Commissioner for Human Resources , Science and Technology, AUC challenged the African Association of Sciences and the African University Associations to lead the STI crusade, fashion out a common strategy in order to network skills and resources to achieve accelerated development. “Priority in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is driving the 2015 consolidated plan of action, which seeks to bring radical changes into the STI landscape in Africa.” The three-day forum is aimed to fast-track the development and implements sustainable solutions to Africa’s development challenges and mainstreaming entrepreneurship, SME development and innovation into STI concept.