March (2009)

Contents

24 March 2009 - $17.6 Million for ECOWAS S&T Development

The African Development Fund, an arm of the African Development Bank, has approved a $17.6 million grant to finance a science and technology education project in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Felix Njoku of the AfDB says "the project aims at providing a regional consolidated response to the need for high-level expertise in science and engineering in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), by expanding equitable access and improving the quality and relevance of higher education and research through the enhancement of a pole of excellence in science and technology (S&T) in the region." For more information on this project visit the African Development Bank - click here.

19 March 2009 - €2.7 Billion EU-ACP Cooperation Agreement Signed

The €2.7 billion cooperation agreement signed last Friday between the ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) Group of States and the European Commission is funded by the 10th European Development Fund, and will be directed toward health, climate change, water and peace-keeping efforts, says Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Louis Michel. The additional funds supplement the €14 billion allocated to the Group in 2007 and 2008. For more information on the implementation of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, go to Europafrica.org.

17 March 2009 - Big Slice of Ghana's National Budget Dedicated to S&T

Ghana's national budget for 2009 includes a 120 million Ghanaian cedis (or $88 million) allocation for "science activities," Research Africa has reported. Funds will be dedicated to various ministries in that country's government, as well as to promoting and popularising science and encouraging the participation of women in science. To read Ghana's 2009 budget speech - click here.

13 March 2009 - ICSU Report Back on 29th General Assembly

The Regional Office for Africa of the International Council for Science have published a "Report on Associated Events" in the wake of the 29th General Assembly of the ICSU which was hosted by Mozambique in October 2008. The report contains information about the various sessions that constituted the Assembly's symposium, as well as a section on the dialogue on science, technology and innovation in Africa. To download the report click here. Contact the ICSU's Regional Office for Africa.

11 March 2009 - FP7 Health Workshop to be Hosted in Cape Town

HEALTH NCP-Net, the network of all officially appointed Health National Contact Points (NCPs) and Contact Points in third countries, in conjunction with ESASTAP, the European South African Science and Technology Advancement Programme, are organising a workshop in Cape Town on 9 April 2009 to coincide with the Conference on Infectious Diseases organised by the European Science Foundation. The workshop will focus on FP7 funding with specific reference to the calls for proposals which will be published in 2009. Registration for the workshop is now open. For more information, contact Dr Sabine Steiner-Lange or to download the brochure click here.

10 March 2009 - Applications Open for the 2009 African Union Scientific Awards

The African Union Commission is promoting its 2009 Scientific Awards in recognition of the importance of the development of science in Africa. With three categories of awards - the AU Young Scientist National Award, the AU Women Scientist Regional Award and the AU Scientific Award - the 2009 programme will celebrate achievements made by African scientists in national, regional and continental contexts. With significant financial rewards attached to each prize, the AUC aims to recognise current progress as well as promote future investment and interest in science throughout the continent. For more information on eligibility download the concept note - click here or write to Hambani Masheleni. To download an application form - click here.

9 March 2009 - AGBIOSAFESEED 2010 Registration Coming Soon

The International Conference on Agro-biotechnology, Bio-safety and Seed Systems in Developing Countries is scheduled to take place in Entebbe, Uganda, between 8 and 12 March 2010. The conference will aim to increase participants' general understanding of both the functionality of, and the issues and challenges surrounding agro-biotechnology, bio-safety and seed systems. The conference organisers are soliciting input from a variety of individuals and institutions with backgrounds in research, development and government to ensure a wide variety of expertise on the subject. For more information contact the conference secretariat. To download the the complete conference brief - click here.

5 March 2009 - First Meeting of the Europe-Africa Frontier Research Conference Series

The first of a series of Europe-Africa research conferences, entitled Infectious Diseases: From Basic to Translational Research, will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, between 4 and 9 April 2009. The meeting will centre on a variety of topics surrounding malaria, tuberculosis and other lower profile diseases. The series hopes to attract a mix industry and academic scientists, as well as young researchers, to encourage an exchange of knowledge between participants. Out of this dialogue, the organisers aim to to see an increase in intercontinental research projects and joint funding applications.

For a more detailed outline of the series, visit the European Science Foundation website - click [here.

4 March 2009 - South Africa to Invest in Nanotechnology Research Centre

Research Africa In brief this week reported plans by South Africa's Department of Science and Technology to invest $7.7 million in a nanotechnology research centre that will house a high-resolution transmission electron microscope. It is planned that the centre will be located at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in the eastern coastal town of Port Elizabeth. To visit the website of South Africa's Department of Science and Technology - click here.

3 March 2009 - First CAAST-Net Deliverable Report Available

The first CAAST-Net deliverable report for public dissemination is available for download - click here. The report details the outcomes of the first meeting of the SSA Project Network, a network of coordinators of projects targeting sub-Saharan Africa-EU research cooperation. To receive CAAST-Net deliverable reports, amongst other items of interest, sign up as a member of our community of stakeholders.

3 March 2009 - Scientific Cooperation Between the EU and Developing Countries

The Science and Technology Options Assessment Committee (STOA) of the European Parliament and the French Institute of Scientific Research for Development (IRD) are co-hosting a conference on the role of scientific cooperation between the EU and developing countries on 4 March in Brussels, Belgium. Central to the conference is the importance of cooperation between the EU and developing countries in the fields of science and technology as well as the socio-economic development of developing countries.

With science, technology and innovation playing key roles in achieving sustainable development and poverty eradication, the focus of the conference will be on examining the EU's partnerships in these areas with developing countries, and to see how these can be improved. For more information visit the CORDIS newsroom - click [here.