In the media - 2003

• African nations agree on science spending targets
  7 November 2003, SciDev.Net
  African nations have agreed to invest one per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP) in scientific research within the next five years.
  
  
• Canada supports African science initiative
  7 November 2003, SciDev.Net
  Canada has become the first country to support an initiative by the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) to revive science across the continent. The announcement was made during the first-ever African Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology for Development, held in Johannesburg this week.
  
  
• New action plan proposed for African science
  3 November 2003, SciDev.Net
  Ministers of science from across Africa are being asked this week to back a proposal that their nations increase spending on research and development to at least one per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP) over the next seven years.
  
  
• NEPAD: Politicians say "I do, I do" to science
  1 November 2003, Science in Africa
  Bright, tiny flags from 53 countries across the continent no longer dot the delegates' conference tables. The sober dark suits and flowing robes of 34 ministers and their minders have long since left for the airport. The catering staff at the Sunnyside Park Hotel can hang up their laminated security clearances. NEPAD's first-ever high-level political meeting about reviving science and technology has ended.
  
  
• Nairobi centre chosen to boost biosciences in Africa
  31 October 2003, SciDev.Net
  Details of a US$21 million initiative to improve Africa's bioscience research facilities and encourage African researchers to stay in the region was announced yesterday (30 October) in Nairobi, Kenya.
  
  
• African biotech advisory panel in the pipeline
  24 July 2003, SciDev.Net
  African leaders are considering a proposal to set up a continent-wide advisory panel on biotechnology to help them address difficult political decisions about genetically modified (GM) crops.
  
  
• Canada backs African centre on 'agricultural biosciences'
  30 May 2003, SciDev.Net
  Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien announced this week (26 May) that his government is to give Can$30 million towards setting up an African centre of excellence in "biosciences for agriculture".
  
  
• A gleam of hope for African science?
  24 February 2003, SciDev.Net
  Science policy experts from African countries have proposed a new 'roadmap' for the future of science on the continent. Their plan has many strengths, but also faces major challenges.
  
  
• Nepad bemoans lack of interaction
  19 February 2003, ITWeb
  While economic interaction between African countries is at a healthy level, there was consensus at the first New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad) workshop on science and technology that a lot of work still needs to be done in the science and technology sector.