Draft Report of the High-Level African Panel on Modern Biotechnology of the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)
FROM THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The history of Africa has been marked by a unique development narrative in which
science, technology and innovation have often been viewed as a preserve for a select few rather
than as tools for development in negative terms. But this narrative is starting to change and
African leaders are starting to view science, technology and innovation as critical to human
development, global competitiveness and ecological management. In a new vision for the
continent, African leaders are focusing on measures that promote their "freedom to innovate" in
all fields of human endeavour in general and in science and technology in particular. It is in this
context that the findings and subsequent implementation of the recommendations of the High-
Level African Panel on Modern Biotechnology of the African Union and the New Economic
Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) should be viewed.
The outcome of the work of the panel is the nurturing of "regional innovation
communities" involving groups of countries in eastern, western, northern and southern Africa
operating in the framework of designated Regional Economic Communities (RECs). The
innovation communities may be anchored in "local innovation areas" with clusters of capabilities
in agricultural, health, industrial and environmental biotechnologies. The strategies will be
implemented through RECs whose capacity will in turn need to be strengthened.
To elaborate on this focus, the report: (a) outlines the role of technology in general and
modern biotechnology in particular in regional economic integration and trade; (b) outlines
priority areas in modern biotechnology of relevance to African development; (c) identifies
critical capabilities needed for the development and safe use of modern biotechnology; (d)
specifies harmonized regulatory measures needed for advancing research and commercialization,
safe use and trade; and (e) proposes strategic options for creating and building regional
biotechnology innovation communities and local innovation areas in Africa.
