The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has highlighted the need for Africa to continue working on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other development milestones while dealing with the impact of COVID-19 on the continent.
Speaking at the five-day Africa Innovation and Investment Forum 2020, which was due to conclude on 19 June, UNESCO Regional Director and Representative, Prof. Hubert Gijzen, said it was imperative that the SDGs and the African Union's Agenda 2063 remained the compass for Africa's development.
Addressing a high-level panel discussion on investing in science, technology and innovation (STI) in Africa, Prof. Gijzen also emphasised the need for the continent to remain committed to STI as means of realising the SDGs.
"Let us remember the recommendations of the Africa Science, Technology and Innovation Forum we held in February this year, and actively position STI as catalysts for the implementation of the SDGs," he said.
The SDGs, adopted by world leaders in 2015, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and improve the lives and prospects of everyone by 2030. With a decade left in which to achieve the SDGs, plans were put in place to enhance efforts to achieve the goals. However, COVID-19 has hampered these plans and laid bare weaknesses in healthcare systems all over the world, with poorer regions being the most vulnerable.
The virtual Africa Innovation and Investment Forum 2020, organised by South Africa's Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) in collaboration with the UN Economic Commission for Africa, brought innovators, investors, government officials and researchers together online to showcase their innovations and strategies as well as identify innovation gaps, investment needs and industrial opportunities that could contribute to Africa's response to COVID-19.
Daan du Toit, Deputy Director-General at the DSI, said South Africa's participation in the forum was aligned to the country's objectives to maximise its strategic interests in international cooperation in STI.
"The DSI's participation in the forum is aimed at supporting and profiling innovators and innovations in South Africa, particularly those innovations that respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and contribute to strengthening the country's healthcare system," the Deputy Director-General said.
During the panel discussion on investing in STI, it was noted that since the 1980s, African countries had committed to investing at least 1% of their gross domestic product (GDP) in research and development (R&D), so as to build critical base competencies and infrastructure to support innovation in the public and private sectors.
Today, however, it is estimated that Africa invests about 0,5% of its GDP in R&D – 0,43% in the case of sub-Saharan Africa – far below the world average of 1,7% of GDP. In 2019, sub-Saharan Africa only accounted for about 0,8% of the global US$2,3 trillion that was spent on R&D.
This low investment in R&D also means that Africa has fewer doctors, engineers, scientists and economists, whose skills are crucial to meeting challenges such as those posed by COVID-19.
While acknowledging the impact of COVID-19 on the achievement of the SDGs across the world, Prof. Gijzen said the pandemic had also shown what nations could achieve by working together. He cited the global collaboration which has seen trillions of dollars and other financial resources being released in response to the pandemic.
"With the same spirit and commitment, I am sure we can also scale up global efforts to build a better, healthier, safer, more prosperous and sustainable world," Prof. Gijzen said.
He added that COVID-19 was also opening up opportunities, showing that "tele-working" could be effective, and demonstrating the value of scientific cooperation and open science and the need to strengthen education, health and well-being.
The panel considered innovative ways in which Africa could quickly mobilise investments from both the public and the private sector to meet current and future research, development and innovation needs.
Prof. Yasser Refaat, Egypt's Deputy Minister for Scientific Research Affairs, urged Africa to improve its education system, ensure that scientific research findings were shared freely, and strengthen cooperation between the public and private sectors, all of which were high on Egypt's development agenda.
South Sudan's Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Denay Jock Chagor, said his country had increased resources to respond to the pandemic and improve communications.
"There are plans to establish a Council for the Development of Scientific Research, Technology and Innovation, and there are also plans to boost R&D funding from the current 0,2% of GDP to 2% of GDP by 2030," said Minister Chagor.
The DSI is also supported the forum's COVID-19 Innovation Challenge. The Challenge was aimed at showcasing some of the top technologies and innovations from across Africa. It also aimed to explore investment and market needs, and identify business opportunities, in areas including affordable rapid testing, enhanced medical devices and personal protection gear design and fabrication, alternative tools for contact tracing and isolation, and the development and production of potential drugs and vaccines in Africa.
The DSI and its entities offered prizes to the winners in the four categories of the Innovation Challenge, in the form of virtual two-week mentorship programmes, as well as two-week visits to South African STI institutions once COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted. The prizes will cover the accommodation and travel costs of the winners.
DSI entities that supported the challenge included the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the National Intellectual Property Management Office (NIPMO), and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
The winners in the first COVID-19 Innovation Challenge are as follow:
Category 1 - Ready Rapid and Point-of Care Testing Innovations
- Mountaga Keita, Republic of Guinea
Innovation: TELEMEDICINE KIOSKS / COVID-19 SYMPTOMS SCANNER
Category 2 - Medical devices
- Shona McDonald, Republic of South Africa,
Innovation: Oggie-Air Respirator
- Yared Yaregal, Ethiopia -
Innovation: Multi Patient Ventilation System and Patient Mentoring
Category 3 – Personal Protection Equipment
- Tewodros Tessema, Republics of Ethiopia
Innovation: Portable sanitizer delivery tool with wristband
Category 4 - Contact Tracing
- Magdalena Grobler, Republic of South Africa
Innovation Engineering, IoT Technologies in Healthcare
Category 5 - Innovation in Government
- Corrin Varady, Republic of South Africa
Innovation, IDEA Digital Education
Category 5 - Pharmaceutical Production Systems
- Eluemuno Blyden, Sierra Leone,
Innovation, AVRIL BIO-PHARMA - Eggs could save the world from COVID-19.
