Union AfrlcalneUnited NationsRWANDA

(~)N.;))BJ, ~nm"~ African Union

®:NJEUnlocking The Potential ofScience,

TecJ1!!!ili!gy And Innovation to Achievethe Millennium Development Goals

in Rwanda(Kigali, Rwanda, 21/22 January 2010)

United NationsEducational, Scientific and

Cultural Organization

7

Ministry ofEducation in charge ofScience and Technology, RwandaONE UN, RwandaUNESCO Division for Science Policy and Sustainable DevelopmentAfrican Union

VNUNWCKI G THE POTENTIAL

ClENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONTO ACHIEVE THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOP-

MENT GOALS IN RWANDA

1. Rwanda and the One UNThe Government of Rwanda is committed to attaining internationally agteed developmentobjectives such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) fot poverty eradication

and sustainable development. The United Nations Development Assisranee Framework(UNDAF) constitutes an important platform for the Unired Narions Country Team(UNer) to help the Government of Rwanda realize rhe goals set forth in its EconomicDevelopment and Poverty Reduction Srrateb'Y (EDPRS) and Vision 2020 Statement.

The United ations launched the "Delivering as One" pilol initiative in 2007 to respond18thecha1lenges ofa changing world and lest how the UN family can provide development

cc in a more coordinated way in eight countries. The Government of Rwandanteered to become a "Delivering as Onc" pilot.

he Government in close consultation with the UN, designed the common slralegic

eworkofthe UN system at country level (UNDAFj, which is otganized around 5 pillarsand aligned with Rwanda's Vision 2020: hcalth, population, H IV and nurrition, educ."inn,environment and sustainable growth and social protection . .science and technology has akey role to play in this realization and the target is to strengthen and integrate STI intoRwanda's strategies and policies in order to achieve narional socio economic developJnent.The Government National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (NSTIP) is designedto COIIWrt the broad Vision 2020 Statement into tangible policies and programs. Rwandisproblems can be solved in a sustainable manner only if rhe country builds appropriate andac;«SSible STl capacity which is directed at solving national problems.

2. The "Knowledge Revolution"Rwanda's ambition of becoming "a modern and prosperous nation", requires a transitionto a knowledge society, which will depend on the ability to understand, interpret, select,adapt, use, lransmit. diffuse, produce and commercialize scientific and technologicalknowledge in ways appropria<e to Rwanda's cultute.

The tetm, "knowledge-based economy" ptiotitises the instrumental use of scientificknowledge for competitive economic advantage. Science is seen as borh the key faclot ofnew production and as a traded commodity-plOd..ct in itself. A knowledge economy is "aneconomy where we do not compete on wages - but on intelligence, on innovation and oncreativity".It is within a broad and integrated development applOach, lhat science, technology and

TIME DRAFT AGENDA

Friday 22"" lan 20 I0

9,00- 10030 Sc,),)ion Panel: STI for Energy, Water ancl SanitationSession Chair: Rcpre~enr3ri\'esfrom Ministry and UN AgencyPanel Members: Minist.ry of Infrastructure, LRSf, NUR, UN Agen<.)',Bilateral donor

(I,lIlt'! !'ol..lI\: r.m·rg\': n..·\\:';tr~h. ,Iu.:.... \'.. (() d\.'(lnU[\. proll.'t.TllllI

01 IIH: l.'IIVlhHlIlh:11I \\.lh.'r ;1J1d ...lIlll.lIlilll: ,ollrnhllllon of "l' I 10

"'U\l;lin,lhk· inl\:'gr.l11.:d W.ll .... 1" rl\tltlrll" dn'l'!oj'lllrlll..

Prcscnrarion.o;; 10 mills each on STI Projeecs and impact on Vision 2020,followed by plenary discussion

10,30 - 11,00 Coff..,

I 1,00- 12030 Session Panel: lCr 'UHJ applicatiun~

~ession Chair: Rt:prl::)cmadve~ from Ministry and UN Agency!'anel Members: Ministry of ICT, KlST, ROB IT, UN Agency, Bilateraldonor

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Presemarions 10 mins t"3ch on STI Projt:Ll~ alto imp,u.:t on Vi~ioll 2020,followed by plenary discussion

12,30 - 13,30 Lunch

13:30- 15,00 Session Panel: STI fCH EtJu(.alion

Session Chair: Represe1ll3lives frolll lvlillislry dno UN Agem..-yPanel Members: MinisU)' of Education, KlE, UN Agency, Bilateraldonor

P.\I1d I 111,.. 1I Ad It:\ 11le, UIIl\I•.'r,.d prllll .. r\" \.'JU...lIlt.lll dlnJu;.:.hll.:l..h olo~~

Preselllation~ 10 rnim t:a<.;h un TI Projecrs and impac£ on Vision 2020.followed by plenary di~u~ltioll

15,00-16,00 Coffee and preparation of workshop conclusions

16,00- 16,30 Workshop Conclusions - Dr Shamila air-Bcdouelle Rapporrcur

-(UNESCO)

16:30 - 17:30 Pn:ltt'Olation of a Rwanda Innovation Framework, Ms Aid, Opoku-Memah (UNECA)Atloprion of\X'orkshop Conclusion lJoinr ClosureU 1 RC. UNESr.OH.E. Honorable Minister C. Murigande

17,30-19,00 Cock",i1

I"r furth"r :nform.lhnn r,I".,,,c' dll1l."t : n.' r-h<"Jt>LJ<"i1d~lInc·"'t><""':'

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SC·2010IWS/10

TIME DRAFf AGENDA

Thurs 21 lon 2010

8:00 - 9:00 Regisualion : Ms Solange Uwera, ReO

9:00 - 10:00 Ma~ter of Ceremony: Or Marie-Chrisrine Gasingirwa (DG, Science andTochnology)Joint opening session Chair: H.E. Honourable Mini.ster C. Murigande

·H.E. Director General, UNESCO, Mme I. Bokova TBC

· H.E. Commissioner J.P. Ezin, African Union

· Professor C. Kiamba, African Mini.'Hcrial Council for So;,;it:nce andTecllllOlogy

· UN Rt:~itlC:J1l Cuordinator. Mr A. Agbenonci

10:00-10:30 Keynotc address: Pro£" !(jamb., AMCOST, Kenya, "Science, TeclJltologyand hwovahOIl: key to acbieving the MDGs"

10:30 - 11:00 Coffec

11 :Ol}- 12:30 Session Panel: STI for Agriculmcc and FarmingSession Chair: Kepresentatives from Ministry and UN AgeJlcyPanel Members: Ministry of Agriculture, ISAR, UN Agency, Bilateraldonor

P;lIlcl hKUS: ",TI .md ;1~J iLuhlln.:'. lhe t'r;llhc.uin!l ill' ~'xrr~nll'

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Presentations 10 mins e:lch on STI Projects and impat:l on Vision 2020,followed by plenary discussion

12:30 - 14:00 Lunch

14:0l}- 15:30 SC30sioll Panel: STI For Ilealth (Emphasis on Infectious di30ca30cs IIIVand Children)Session Chair: Representatives from Ministry and UN AgencyPanel Members: Ministry of Health, KHI, CNLS UN Agency, Bilateral donor

P.lIhl ~()Cll": 'I~&D for illlpro\ iug IIl-Hem,,1 he,llth, \'olllh,HlllgIII\'iAID'. r~d\l(.ing. ..::hild 111on.dil\', 1I1;1lal'l.\ ;llld lll.llnllrrlfloll.,Ind mhcr inl"l"niou') di~L:;t\L:'" \u\.!l a" rH"

Pn:st:lll,Hions 10 mins each on STJ ProjecLS and impact on Vision 2020,followeo by plenary discussion

15:30-16:00 Coffee

16:00- 17:30 Session Panel: STI fOf Environment and Geo-InformationSession Chair: Rt:preSelll;.lli ....es from Ministry ami UN AgencyPanel Members: Ministry of Environment and Lands, REMA, CGIS,UN Agency, Bilareral dunur

f>~llh:1 F(I~ll\ '·"'clt."nn.' ,1Ild [('rhll'llog~' cf1',uring ell\ il~)lllltC.:ll(;I1

\ll\l'lillahiliLv, pnll.c.... lllg n.lI \I r,tl rcsouru..... Ilmig'llillg \.lim,Hcdl.1I1g.e

..Prcscmations 10 mills each on STI Projects and impact on Visiun 2020,followt:d by plenary discussion

18:00 - 19:30 Cock'ail

leT, will most profoundly impacr Ihe MDGs and support rhe priorities set out in the

Vision 2020 Statement. This requires development policies rhat recognize and incorporare

to the fullest extent possible science, technology and innovation.

3. STI, EDPRS and the MDGs in RwandaThe acquisition and use of science and technology is critical in raising food production

and extending producrive oppoflunities outside the tradirional land resources and in

ensuring food availability, affordabi/ity and stability of access. Rwanda should identify and

promote 'cemres of excellence' in higher education and research, especially in science and

technology, strengthen its links wirh rhe Diaspora, and establish strategic partnerships with

international partners to promote priority areas for research.

All stakeholders across the Government Sectors can bring to bear expertise and experience

in the many sectors ofscience and technology to reduce poverty, achieve universal primary

education, reverse the spread of H1V/AlDS, ensure environmental sustainability and meet

the other MDGs and the coumry's EDPRS priorities.

In emerging knowledge-based economies, a reliable information and communications

infrastruclUre is essential for collaboration wirhin and between countries, including the

conduct of research, and facilitating linkages between education and research IIlsLltutes,

industry and government.

4. UN Science and Technology ClusterThe formulation of AU-N EPAD S&T Consolidated Plan of Action (CPA) for the

continent has given further iml,etus to efforts designed to harncss S&T. The main theme

of the 8th AU Summit ofJanuary 2007 was science, technology and scientific research for

development, and the importance of STI as the driver of economic growth and povertyreduction in Africa.

The UN Science and Technology Cluster {13 U Agencies) was established to support

implementation of the AU/NEPAD programs in science and technology. UNESCO is the

Coordinator of the Cluster and UNECA, the Vice Coordinator. The Cluster is accountable

to the UN Regional Coordination Mechanism, Chaired by UN Deputy Secretary General,

Dr Asba-Rose Migiro. The Ch.1ir of the African Ministerial Council on Sciellce and

Technology (Kenya), proposed to the Cluster to hold a joint activity or conference to

examine the Cllntribution ofSTlto the MDGs.

The Coordinator of the UN S&T Cluster, Dr S. Nair-Bedouelle (UNESCO) proposed ro

bold the initial workshop for Afric.1 in Rwanda in view of the importance rbe Rwandan

Government places on the role nfSTI for sncio economic deve/opmenl, and under the One

UN program to review among all UN Agencies rhe role of STr in helping meet the MDGsin (heir respective mandares.

5. Objectives of the One UN workshopThis workshop will seck ro identify concrete actions and simple steps that Rwanda hasused and can potentially use to enable STI to contribute to achieving the MDGs and othernational development aspirations as outlined in the Vision 2020 Statement. Specifically, irwill bring together all stakeholders involved in the One UN program ro take srock of theachievements, challenges and obsracle., faced in integrating STI into narional developmentsrrategies, crc::uing 3n environment in Wllich innovation Aourishes and mobilizing R&Dinstitutions.

Thus far, the One UN has proven itself to be a powerful mobilising concept, bringingseveral important achievements and developments in the COUntry's research landscape.However, the many challenges faced by tesearch actors and ensuring Rwanda's science :lIldtechnology potential indicate rhat the One UN has yet to achieve its full capability.

This PLATFORM will serve as a forum for intensified dialogue on science and technologyin Rwanda, berween UN Agencies, S&T practitioners and polic}' makers, the private sectorand donors on factors affecting the development of S&T in Rwanda, the developmentof S&T cooperation and joint action at all levels, with a view to achieving the MOGs inRwanda.

In general, rhe workshop will address a number of key quesrions identified in rhe objecrivesabove, in the UNOAF and Vision 2020 priorities and relevant to rhe application ofSTI.

6. Specific Conference Outcomes are summarized as foUows:• The establishment of a "I{wanda Innovarion Endowment Fund", similar to rh at

being set up by the ECA for the continent

• Evaluation of the "CrA domesticarion" at national level in Rwanda

• And a comprehensive report on achievements and gaps on "STI and its contributionro rhe M DCs in a One UN pilot country, Rwanda".

7. Organizing CommitteeMINEDUC (Or Marie-Christine Casingirwa, Eng.Mike Hughes)

• UN Resident Coordinator Office, (Mr. A. Agbenonci,Ms Solange Uwera)

• Rwanda Narional Commission to UNESCO (Mrcliphn Bahizi, Mr. Alberr Muresa)

• UNESCO (Dr. Shamila Nair-Bedouelle)• UNECA (Mr. Mactar Seck)

8. LanguageThe workshnp will be held in English and hench.

9. Funding• UNESCO• UN Resident Coordinator Office

UNECA