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THE COMMON MARKET FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA

COMESA and its Programme on Science, Technology and Innovation

Tasara MuzororiSenior Trade Officer, COMESA

www.comesa.intApril 2012

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COMESA Membership• The 19 Member States of COMESA are:

BurundiComorosCongo, DRDjiboutiEgyptEritreaEthiopiaKenyaLibyaMadagascar

MalawiMauritiusRwandaSeychellesSudanSwazilandUgandaZambiaZimbabwe

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COMESA Vision

To attain a fully integrated internationally competitive regional economic community;

a community within which there is economic prosperity with high standards of living of its people, with political and social stability and peace,

a community within which goods, services, capital and labour freely move across borders.

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COMESA Objectives

To attain sustainable growth and development of the Member States by promoting a more balanced and harmonious development;

Promote joint development in all fields of economic activity in order to raise the standards of living of the people;

To cooperate in the promotion of peace and stability in the region;

to cooperate in strengthening the relations with the rest of the world; and

To contribute towards the establishment of the African Economic Community.

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COMESA Mission

To achieve increased co-operation and integration in all fields of development, particularly: -

in trade, customs and monetary affairs; in transport, communications and

information; in technology, industry and energy; in agriculture, environment, natural

resources; and gender.

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COMESA in Continental Context

COMESA established through Lagos Plan of Action which seeks to establish an African Economic Community;

COMESA is a building block of the African Economic Community as are ECOWAS, EAC, SADC, IGAD, CEMAC, CEN-SAD and AMU

Tripartite Arrangement

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COMESA trade Liberalization

COMESA Member States participating in the FTA:

Non-FTA Countries: Reduction of MFN rates.DR Congo NilEritrea 80%Uganda 80%Ethiopia 10%Swaziland Under

derogation as member of SACU

BurundiComorosDjiboutiEgyptKenyaMadagascarMalawiMauritiusLibyaRwandaSudanZambiaZimbabweSeychelles

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COMESA Focal Programmes

In order to create an environment conducive to free trade and investment into the region, COMESA promotes, as a priority:

trade liberalisation; trade facilitation; liberalisation of financial & monetary systems; investment promotion & private sector support; Science and technology.

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COMESA and STI

The COMESA Treaty Articles 127 and 128deal with cooperation in the development of

Science and Technology and call for Member States to, among other things :

• Build basic scientific and technological research capabilities;

• Build conventional low and indigenous technologies in craftsmanship & fabrication techniques;

• Effect appropriate reforms in primary, secondary and tertiary education in respect of STI;

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COMESA and STI Contd...

•Develop a plan for the development of applied sciences in agric, health, industry, energy, etc;•Allocate a minimum of 1% of GNP on science and technology as recommended under the Lagos Plan of Action;•Cooperate with institutions working on STI;•Ensure that research and development is closely inter-linked with production units

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New Impetus on Science and Technology

•The Theme of the COMESA meetings in 2010 and 2011 was, “Harnessing Science and Technology for Development”•At the COMESA Summit in Swaziland in 2010, the Leaders, realising the importance of Science and technology, made decisions as follows:

•the establishment of science and technology parks for COMESA Region;• the establishment of an ICT Training and Skills Development Fund;•elaboration of a common curriculum for COMESA in ICT in order to introduce young people to ICT at an early age;

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New Impetus on Science and Technology

•the establishment of Office of Advisor on Science and Technology at the COMESA Secretariat;•Member States to establish an Annual Innovation Award to recognize outstanding accomplishment in science, technology and innovation; and •Put in place concrete mechanisms for leveraging science and technology to address the key priorities in the region.

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Steps Towards Implementation

Following the decisions of Summit, the Secretariat has elaborated a Strategy and Implementation Plan for the COMESA Programme on Science and Technology with three components:•Innovation systems - a network of institutions in the public and private sector whose activities and interactions initiate, import, modify and diffuse new technologies;•Cluster Approach; and•an action oriented strategy and learning approach

 

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Steps Towards Implementation

COMESA will work with Partners to do the following:

•Putting in place the institutional framework;•Studies to be undertaken to identify the industrial clusters;•Develop the common ICT Curriculum;•Establish fund for ICT Training; and•Analytical work for the identification and location of Science and Technology parks

 

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End of Presentation

Thank you.