Launch of Academy of Sciences in Malawi

MEDIA ALERT:

The Launch of Academy of Sciences in Malawi

WHAT: The UN Technology Bank works to support the establishment and strengthening of Academies of Science capacities in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to play a critical role in advising governments on STI policy development and implementation to address socio-economic challenges and promote development. In May 2021, the UN Technology Bank and The Network of African Science Academies teamed up to support the launch of Academy of Sciences in Malawi.

WHERE: The session will be hosted both physically and virtually. The access link to the Zoom platform is the following:

To join via Zoom, register here: https://bit.ly/3ydAoFl

WHEN: Wednesday, 19 May 2021 at 8:45 AM (CAT)

WHY: Since 2019, the Technology Bank has conducted five regional consultations, four in Africa and one in Asia, that brought together all LDCs and setting a path for informing the work programme. In the past years, UN Technology Bank has partnered with the Network of African Academies (NASAC) to support existing academies and establish ones where they do not exist. In 2020, UN Technology Bank supported Angola (launched in Dec 2020) and in March 2021 Lesotho and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Additional countries planned for 2021 include, Chad, Cambodia, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone, and the Solomon Islands.

WHO: Live interventions by distinguished speakers from the Government of Malawi, Ministry of Education, the Network of African Science Academies, and the National Commission for Science and Technology.

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

• Hon. Agnes NyaLonje, Minister of Education
• Mr. Joshua Setipa, Managing Director, UN Technology Bank
• Prof. Norbert Hounkonnou, President of Network of African Academies
• Prof. George Kanyama-Phiri, Vice Chancellor, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Dr. Thomas Munthali, Director General, National Planning Commission
• Prof. Elijah Wanda, Director General, National Commission for Science and Technology
• Prof. Address Malata, Vice Chancellor, Malawi University of Science and Technology
• Prof. Adamson Muula, Country Coordinator, CARTA and Coordinator for the African Center of Excellence in Herbal and Family Medicine, College of Medicine
• Assoc. Prof. Chomora Mikeka, Director of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Education
• Dr. George Luwanda, Mzuzu University

FURTHER INFORMATION

Event Page: https://bit.ly/2PQy71k

Social Media:

For updates on this session please follow: Twitter accounts:

• @UNTechBank

Website:

• UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries

MEDIA CONTACT

UN Technology Bank for Least Develop Countries

Ms. Malwina Buldys | Digital Communications Specialist | E-mail: buldys@un.org

ABOUT UN THE TECHNOLOGY BANK

The UN Technology Bank is a new global organisation, dedicated to enhancing the contribution of science, technology and innovation for sustainable development in the world’s 46 least developed countries. Least developed countries (LDCs) are low-income countries confronting severe structural impediments to sustainable development. They are highly vulnerable to economic and environmental shocks and have low levels of human assets.

The UN Technology Bank supports national and regional technological efforts in least developed countries, reinforcing partnerships across sectors and helping nations identify and use appropriate technologies to transform their economies and improve livelihoods.

NOTE TO EDITOR

The core mission of UN Technology Bank is to support LDCs to strengthen their Science, Technology and Innovation capacities, including the capacity to identify, absorb, develop, integrate and scale up the deployment of technologies and innovations, including indigenous ones, as well as the capacity to address and manage intellectual property rights issues to enhance their Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) capacity.

The UN Technology Bank provides LDCs with a voice to chart their own development through:

• Supporting LDCs to assess and articulate their needs through country-led technology needs assessments;
• Strengthening Science, Technology and Innovation capacity in LDCs to respond to challenges and opportunities towards achieving the SDGs;
• Facilitating access to appropriate technologies through technology transfer and provide access to research and technical knowledge;
• Strengthening partnerships and coordination of STI between LDCs and relevant STI stakeholders.

Since end of 2018, The UN Technology Bank has directly implemented projects and activities in the LDCs and also serves as a knowledge hub connecting LDCs’ STI needs, available resources, and key STI actors who can respond to these needs. It facilitates LDCs access to existing technologies and fosters joint initiatives with relevant partners within and outside the UN system including the private sector.

All UN Technology Bank activities are designed to complement, rather than duplicate, projects already undertaken by other UN agencies or development partners. The UN Technology Bank leverages existing initiatives within the UN system and beyond to implement its programme of work and promote STI in the LDCs.

Strengthening National Academies of Science in LDCs

The UN Technology Bank works to support the establishment and strengthening of the capacities of Academies of Science in LDCs so they can play a critical role of advising governments on STI policy development and implementation in order to address socio-economic challenges and promote development. The programme is critical for incorporating science, technology and innovation in national development programmes towards the achievement of the SDGs. Moreover, it supports the establishment of a virtual platform to promote dialogue and information exchange between policymakers and scientists to ensure the involvement of academies of science in national policy debates and the national commitments under the 2030 Agenda.

In 2020, the Angola Academy of Science was launched followed by Lesotho and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2021. The launch of Academy of Sciences in Malawi will be followed by the Central African Republic, Cambodia, Chad, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone and Solomon Islands during 2021. Support will also be provided to existing academies of sciences in particular on enhancing their strategic planning and resource mobilization strategies to enhance their sustainability and ability to fully contribute to national development programmes.

The Academies of Science are important sources of current and emerging leaders in science, engineering and medicine, as well as advocates for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), and can advise and help connect their respective government and research communities.

The Academy of Sciences in Malawi is an independent organization intended to promote science and engineering and strengthen their influence in Malawi. The academy will contribute to the implementation of the Malawi 2063 – strategic and development goals, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education's Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), National Planning Commission, and the National Commission of Science and Technology.

The objectives of the Academy are:

• To promote excellence in scientific research conducted by scientists who are citizens of Malawi;
• To promote contacts and collaboration among scientists who are citizens of Malawi; and between them and the wider global scientific fraternity;
• To strengthen the global position and role of scientific research conducted by scientists who are citizens of Malawi;
• To advise the government of Malawi on scientific aspects of social and economic issues and on all matters related to science teaching, research and science education;
• To provide information on science to, and build support for science with, the general public in Malawi;

African academies have an important role to play in supporting SDGs and Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024 (STISA-2024), including:

• Providing evidence-informed policy advice
• Supporting science education at schools’ level
• Providing information and raising awareness amongst the pubic and academy fellowships
• Hosting events for different constituencies in private sector and civil society
• Monitoring and evaluation of national and regional implementation
• Working regionally
• Being a reservoir of advice, strategic leadership, and expertise
• Interacting with well-known and respected leaders in given fields to stimulate thinking and flourish youth education and research
• Engaging where there are opportunities and letting governments know how and where the academies can add value