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16 April 2009

Honourable Minister Ephraim Kamuntu
Chairperson of the Science and Technology Committee of the Ugandan Parliament Honourable Charles Ngabirano
Chairperson of the information communication technology (ICT) Committee of the Ugandan Parliament, Honourable Edward Baliddawa
Commissioner in charge of Science and Technology matters, Mr Michael Olupot-Tukei
Esteemed members of the Ugandan delegation and officials of the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST)
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

It is a particular pleasure for me to welcome you to South Africa and especially to the Department of Science and Technology.

Apart from our common ancestry, there is a lot more that Ugandans and South Africans share. This includes, among others, similar historical legacies, cultural practices and political circumstances, and a shared vision of the future. We both believe that through careful utilisation of science and technology we can improve the lives of our respective people.

The enthusiasm with which the people and government of Uganda pursue your national science agenda is impressive. After suffering a few setbacks prior and after 1994, South Africa’s national science agenda is developing and unfolding at an acceptable pace. From the 1996 White Paper on Science and Technology, which provided a blueprint for the new science agenda that focussed strongly on socio-economic development, through the National Research and Development Strategy, which determined our current science agenda, to the current Ten Year Innovation Plan, which charts our way forward until 2018, we are convinced that we are on course.

In the past decade, our science agenda has been greatly enriched by the collaborative work we had undertaken with our African counterparts.
As a continent, but especially between South Africa and Uganda, the most forward-looking and ambitious joint ventures we can undertake, which also hold the greatest promise for success, are in the following:

* The biosciences, particularly those areas which are concerned with food production and health.
* Space Science, with an emphasis on earth observation, reaction and response.
* Indigenous Knowledge Systems and the wealth of knowledge passed down to us by our ancestors.
* Environmental research, in particular, climate change and global warming.
* Energy research and the critical issue of renewable energy.
* Innovation and innovation management capacity.
* ICTs, with a particular focus on the development of research and scientific infrastructure.
* The formulation of strategic tri-lateral partnerships.
* The development of effective science, technology and innovation policies.
* The ongoing campaigns in our respective countries to improve the public understanding of science and technology; and leading from that.
* More effective human capital development programmes.

This is by no means a complete list of our mutual interests. Further to this, we are strategic partners in the Network for the Co-ordination and Advancement of sub-Saharan Africa-EU Science and Technology Co-operation project (or CAAST-Net), which, amongst others, seeks to inspire research topics for international co-operation and promotes regional collaboration and integration.

We share a keen interest in the IST-Africa project - the Regional Impact of Information Society Technologies in Africa. In the past four years, IST-Africa has trained over 1 000 government officials and researchers in Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania. The training has been in key areas, such as eGovernment, eHealth, and eLearning. Already, two highly successful international research conferences have been organised. I have no doubt the next conference, which will be held next month in Uganda, will be equally instructive and inspiring.

Our countries share an even closer bond in the Group on Earth Observation. South Africa and Uganda are currently the only two African countries on the twelve-member Executive Committee of the Group on Earth Observation. This group of intergovernmental organisations is leading a worldwide effort to build a Global Earth Observation System of Systems, referred to as GEOSS.

"Know yourself" was a wise saying inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. With GEOSS there is a good chance we will come to know ourselves. That is why your country and mine are working together to encourage other African countries to become GEO members.

As though the list of our common goal is not long enough, in addition, there is INCONTACT – an initiative whose aim is to ensure that the rest of the continent benefits from global partnerships in research. As you know, we are working together with Egypt, and representatives of the European Union to share our learning experiences with other ten countries in the southern and east African regions.

The co-operative relationship between Uganda and South Africa is wide-ranging, visionary and effective. With the signing of a new bilateral agreement, which signals the commitment by each of our countries to work together to advance our science, technology and innovation agenda, we are entering into a new era.
This agreement paves the way for the development of a plan of action, which will identify priorities and consolidate resources to implement the agreement. This is indeed a very welcome development.

One of the things we are envious about is your slogan for promoting tourism, "Africa's Friendliest Country". I'd like to think we can challenge you on that score. Certainly, with the hosting of the COSAFA Cup in a few months' time, and the football fans of the world scheduled to descend on our shores in just over a year from now, we need to start practising our friendliest behaviour.

Since you have graced us with such an impressive delegation, we plan to use this opportunity to learn from you how to become the most hospitable hosts.
I hope the officials have prepared a very extraordinary itinerary for you, which includes visits to some of our most remarkable science infrastructures and facilities. May you have a very pleasant and fruitful stay in our beautiful country.

I thank you.

Issued by: Department of Science and Technology
16 April 2009
Source: Department of Science and Technology (http://www.dst.gov.za/)