Background
Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) are important for social, economic and sustainable development. The formulation of effective STI policies is critical in achieving the 2030 Agenda, such as conserving freshwater (SDG 6), building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization and fostering innovation (SDG 9), combatting climate change (SDG 13) and building partnerships for development (SDG 17).
The lack of accurate information, adequate indicators, and capacities to analyze and monitor policies and instruments is a major development challenge for the countries covered by the Abuja Office. The Global Observatory of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Instruments (GO-SPIN) aim to fill this information gap by providing key information on STI governing bodies, legal frameworks, policy instruments and long-term series of indicators for evidence-based policy analysis, design and foresight studies.
Objectives and Delievery
The purpose of this activity is to strengthen the capacity of Member States to develop legal frameworks, policy instruments and long-term series of indicators for evidence-based policy analysis through the GO-SPIN methodology.
The core activities included the training of national experts through the organization of a sub-regional training workshop on mapping and monitoring of STI policies. The training was in response to requests for technical assistance and follow-up on collaborations with member states - Nigeria, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and Benin. In addition, the training focused on strengthening capacities and enhancing knowledge on the concepts and use of policy instruments as a means for policy implementation.
The main partners for this activity were ECOWAS and AOSTI. It is expected that member states will have improved knowledge of STI governance and policies that will contribute to sub-regional sustainable development and to the attainment of the STI related SDGs.
Achievements to time
The regional training workshop on inclusive and gender transformative STI systems in western Africa countries took place on 20th -23rd November 2018, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Forty-five (45) Participants from 9 ECOWAS member states attended the event. In particular, ad hoc bilateral meetings with all 9 delegations took place, with the aim of ensuring a proper follow-up to the workshop outcomes.
The participants acquired relevant skills for mapping and monitoring of inclusive STI policy and knowledge systems.