Opening Address by the Minister of Science &Amp; Technology, Hon. Mosibudi Mangena, at the Cocktail Function of the Bio2Biz Sa 2006 Conference, Durban International Convention Centre on 27 September 2006

Members of Academia;

Business leaders;

Students and fellow citizens;

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen:

This landmark event is aimed at showcasing some of South Africa’s developments within this new economy sector of biotechnology. Durban, the beautiful city which is host to this conference, also houses one of the Biotechnology Innovation Centres, LIFElab.

This event overlaps with another event of great magnitude, the INSITE 2006 Exhibition which is ending today in Sandton. It hosted some of the world’s recent technological and engineering advances, and a rather special set of exhibits to show young people and the public how attractive science and engineering can be as a career. A programme of meetings and side events ranging from astronomy to zoology also took place.

The National Biotechnology Strategy, which highlights the importance of biotechnology in promoting socio-economic development and building social value for all our citizens, was approved in 2001. Five years on, we are beginning to reap the fruits of that decision, as will be displayed through a series of presentations, discussions and exhibitions in the next three days.

Over the past 3 years, more than R450 million was invested through the Biotechnology Innovation Centres, commonly known as the BRICs, the National Bio-informatics Network and the Public Understanding of Biotechnology Programme. We plan to continue this investment in order to grow the industry, as biotechnology has been identified as one of the instruments having a potential to improve the economic well-being of our people, through the development of new methods of treating diseases, job creation and business expansion.

At the current pace, our projections and expectations are that by the year 2014, we would have created close to 40 start-up biotech companies, delivering more than 60 new biotech products and services through the BRICs. I invite you to make use of the next three days to examine some of the strides made by the sector.

My department has already signed a number of mutually beneficial collaborative partnerships and agreements with other countries with regard to the development of biotechnology. Of particular interest at this moment, is the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) trilateral agreement, in which we aim to tackle issues such as bio-safety and regulatory issues, bioinformatics, biodiversity, HIV, AIDS and TB. As a fruit of this agreement, one of our biotechnology instruments, PlantBio, hosted a very successful IBSA workshop on Bio-safety and Regulatory issues, attended by delegates from the respective countries.

This workshop looked at possible ways of harmonising processes and activities of bio-safety and regulations among the three countries. This workshop was fully supported by a number of key players within the South African bio-safety field.

The commitment of my department to bio-safety issues is an indication that we are not only concerned about the development of biotechnology, but are also proactively looking and responding to its potential impact on the lives of our people, animals, plants and the environment. The recent publication of two documents: “Ethical Guidelines for Biotechnology Research in SA” and “Legal Guidelines for Biotechnology Research in SA”, serves as testimony to our commitment to the responsible development of biotechnology.

One of our successful international collaboration involves the signing of a memorandum of agreement between a South African consortium and the RIKEN Institute in Japan to utilise their high-tech cyclotron to create genetic diversity in African food security crops such as pearl millet, sorghum and maize. Plant-Bio has played a key role in developing this collaboration.

Through such international collaborations we aim to create opportunities for our scientists, students and entrepreneurs that will expose them to international good practice in biotechnology developments.

Recently, South Africa successfully hosted the Microbicides 2006 Conference, which drew the attention and attendance of over 1000 delegates from all over the world. This approach to addressing HIV infection and other STDs has provided researchers with new possibilities and approaches of dealing with sexual health issues. LIFElab, is already investing in a clinical trial of a potential microbicide gel for the prevention of HIV infection. This is an indication that although our biotechnology is still in its infancy, we are tapping into modern technologies in tandem with the rest of the world.

We are hoping that South Africa will soon be confirmed as the host of the Third Component of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB). The support that this bid process received from the various sectors of our society, is an indication of the correct approach that government has taken in developing and growing the biotechnology sector. Success in this bid will lead to accelerated strides in new biotechnology outcomes throughout the country, and the region. If successful, the Third Component of the ICGEB will be hosted at the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine at the University of Cape Town. Within this institute, the Cape Biotech Trust has already invested more than R40 million in establishing a number of technology platforms to enable this accelerated pace of biotech growth. These platforms include the Centre for Proteomics & Genomic Research and Kapa Biosystems for protein engineering.

These platforms have been carefully identified as needed technologies towards the development of a sustainable Cape Biotechnology cluster. These initiatives will provide networking and useful funding opportunities for our scientists and start-up biotech companies in the country. I urge scientists at our academic institutions to start utilising these national facilities. They are available, not only to the institutions that host them, but also to every member of the research community in the country.

Through the technology platforms approach, we aim to focus on the commercial end of biotechnology and to grow the necessary human capital required to sustain biotechnology. Through this approach we intend to be at the cutting edge with regards to technology developments, and to provide an enabling environment for researchers and entrepreneurs.

Through technology platforms and Research Chairs in biotechnology, we are also addressing some of the challenges identified by the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) Programme. We want to ensure that our biotechnology programme develops and, where necessary, acquires the new skills needed to sustain biotechnology.

Over the next four years, a total of 10 new technology platforms will be established within South Africa. Three years ago, the National Bioinformatics Network was established. This network has invested R50 million at a number of universities in the country to establish the field of bioinformatics. The success of this technology platform has been phenomenal. Today we have managed to train over 100 bioinformaticists, and established bioinformatics nodes at universities. New high tech facilities and high performance computing capacity provide a wealth of information on scientific advances. An indication of this success is that at the recent Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology Conference held in Brazil last month, there were 20 presentations from South Africa’s NBN Node as compared to only 3 posters at the same conference in 2001.

Over the next three days, I call upon all of you to pay special attention to these developments within our Biotechnology Instruments. We urge our international guests to become ambassadors of South Africa’s biotech industry as a new opportunity for foreign investments, collaborations, and research opportunities.

As you engage in these deliberations, do not forget to explore the beauty of the country and the city in which you are hosted. A few meters away from here lies the calmest shores of the Indian Ocean. Not far from here, are the legendary ragged valleys of a thousand hills. These features are unique on their own. You may not have the chance to see them, but make a note of their presence.

Also within the city of Durban, is a rich tapestry of many cultures of people that span from the East of Asia to the West of the Americas. As you step out into this haven, you will be greeted by the warmth of a diverse and yet harmonised people. Stop. Smile. When necessary, take a rickshaw to the nearest spot and wave. The weather allows for all of these activities.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I invite you all to celebrate these achievements as you engage in the proceedings of the conference, while you enjoy the beauty of this beautiful city of Durban.

To the conference organizers, I congratulate you all in managing to gather all these minds to our shores. Make use of this opportunity to create a network of future biotechnologists and ambassadors of South African biotechnology.

I thank you.