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South Africa plays a leadership role in preparation of an OECD-CSTP Ministerial Declaration on International Science and Technology Co-operation for Sustainable Development.

South Africa's Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, Dr Baldwin Sipho Ngubane, is attending a Ministerial Meeting of the OECD's (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy (CSTP) taking place in Paris on 29 - 30 January 2004. One of the highlights on the agenda will be the adoption of a Declaration on International Science and Technology Co-operation for Sustainable Development. This Declaration has been developed under South Africa's leadership.

South Africa's success in turning around science and technology in South Africa, as articulated in the latest National Research and Development Survey, needs strong and well resourced international partners in order to make science and technology an effective instrument for sustainable development in South Africa, as well as Africa through the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). The NEPAD science and technology platform was recently launched at the Inaugural NEPAD Science and Technology Ministerial Meeting held in South Africa in November 2003. South Africa will chair the NEPAD science and technology programme for the next two years. The promotion of NEPAD objectives will, thus, be a key theme of engagement with the OECD.

The adoption of the OECD Declaration is a key follow-up to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg in 2002 and is further evidence of the emergence of a new international consensus on the cardinal role played by science and technology as an instrument for sustainable development. This consensus was most forcefully articulated at the WSSD where science and technology as an instrument to achieve poverty eradication and environmental protection, constituted a core element of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation adopted by world leaders.

The OECD significantly decided on the preparation of the Declaration following a report back by the South African delegation on the outcomes of the WSSD to the October 2002 CSTP meeting. South Africa has benefited significantly from its participation in science and technology activities of the OECD, for example drawing on the OECDs rich policy debate to inform the development of the country's National Research and Development Strategy. The preparation of the Declaration, however, also illustrates the rich contributions, made in many instances from a unique developing country's perspective; South Africa delivers to the science and technology work of the OECD.

The OECD Declaration constitutes a direct response to commitments made at the WSSD. It not only reaffirms the objectives set in the WSSDs Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, but also embodies a new commitment by the signatories to deepened international co-operation and stepped up national efforts to ensure an optimal harnessing of science and technology for sustainable development. Key objectives elaborated in the Declaration include promotion of public awareness and understanding of the utility of science and technology, as well as, significant commitment to strengthening the knowledge generation and innovation capacities of developing countries.

The main focus of the OECD Declaration will be to influence the future work programmes of OECD and CSTP, realigning activities with and focusing efforts on science and technology's interface with sustainable development. Activities to be developed within this context will include the formation of new research partnership initiatives in areas such as water, energy or biodiversity, as well as science and technology policy formulation and evaluation including the identification of best practices in support of the creation of framework conditions for developing countries.

Outreach to and collaboration with non-OECD member countries is an important objective of the Declaration, which further includes specific monitoring mechanisms, which will ensure diligent monitoring of the implementation of the commitments made. In order to provide additional impetus to implementation of the WSSD commitments and follow-up to initiatives such as the OECD Declaration, Minister Ngubane will announce during the Ministerial Meeting that South Africa will in 2005 convene a dedicated international conference to review the science and technology commitments of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation.

The themes elaborated in the Declaration will form an integral part of all other items on the Ministerial Meeting's agenda, such as the relationship between science and innovation, or the human resource needs of science and technology. One of the key objectives of the Declaration is indeed to mainstream sustainable development with all aspects of the broader science and technology policy discussion in the OECD. The Declaration will, thus, also provide the Ministerial Meeting with an opportunity to further enhance science and technology's role as one of the most effective engines to rebuild and strengthen the global commitment to multilateralism.

For more information please contact
Nhlanhla Nyide (General Manager: Communication)
Cell: 082 871 6767

Issued by: Department of Arts and Culture
29 January 2004