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COSTED: Caretakers of science in developing countries?
Dorsamy Pillay1 and Veena Ravichandran2
1COSTED Regional Secretariat (Southern and East Africa), Department of Microbiology, University of Durban-Westville, P.Bag X54001, Durban, 4000, South Africa; and 2COSTED Central Secretariat,
Chennai, India
Introduction
The Committee for Science and Technology in Developing Countries (COSTED) was established in 1966. In 1995, South Africa became a member and a Regional Secretariat for the Southern and Eastern African region (COSTED [SEA]) was established in Pretoria at the former Foundation for Research Development (now known as the National Research Foundation [NRF]). Dr. K.Mokhele, President of NRF was appointed as its first Regional Secretary. In 1999 Prof. Dorsamy Pillay (Gansen) succeeded Dr. Mokhele. In this article, the authors trace the genesis of COSTED and discuss some of the initiatives in place to address science in developing countries. This submission is intended to provide information on COSTED to readers of Africa's first online journal Science in Africa with a view to alerting them to possible opportunities that exist for scientists in developing countries. In addition, the authors take a critical look at whether or not COSTED should be the caretakers of science in developing countries.
Genesis of COSTED
COSTED was set up in 1966 as a special interdisciplinary Committee of the International Council for Science, ICSU (formerly International Council of Scientific Unions) vested with the specific responsibility of linking science and technology to sustainable development in the South. This was in recognition of the important role of science and technology in the development process as well as the imperative to bring under-privileged nations to the main stream of international science, particularly those addressing global issues such as climate change, environmental issues, etc.
COSTED is expected to play an advisory role to ICSU on the range of science and technology initiatives for and in developing countries, their potential for application to social and economic development and environmental concerns. These initiatives are pursued by COSTED in co-operation with other members of the ICSU family, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), regional and international scientific bodies and national science councils in developing countries.
The early years
In 1966, the Indian Government offered to host the International Secretariat in India. To begin with, COSTED functioned in affiliation to the host institutes of the Scientific Secretary (the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and later, the Indian Institute of Technology in Chennai). In 1986 a Secretariat Building in its present premises in Chennai was commissioned by the Government of India, which was further expanded with an additional new building in 1995. The Indian Government provides for the full operational expenses of the International Secretariat in Chennai.
A number of regional secretariats have been operating in various developing regions of the world, Latin America, Africa and the Arab region, all co-ordinated by the International Secretariat in India. However, the functioning of these secretariats has been dependent on the host country commitment of the regional secretaries. These regional secretariats have provided visibility and outreach to COSTED in the science and technology communities in developing regions worldwide. There has been generous support from the host countries in providing the logistics for COSTED operations in the various regions.
Distinguished personalities
Over the decades, a number of prominent personalities served as chairpersons of COSTED. These include Prof.P.M.S. Blackett, U.K. (1973-74), Prof.S. Bhagavantam, India (1974-79), Prof.Y. Nayudamma, India (1980-85), Sir.John Kendrew, U.K. (1985-89), Prof.D.A. Bekoe, Ghana (1990-93), Prof.M.G.K. Menon, India (1994-95), and Dr. R. W. Nichols, U.S.A. (1995-98). The current President is Dr. E. M. Krieger from Brazil.
COSTED today
There are seven regional secretariats located in Bernal, (Argentina) Dakar (Senegal), Pretoria (South Africa), Accra (Ghana), Irbid (Jordan), Chennai (India) and Bangkok (Thailand). The Secretariat in India plays a dual role as the Asian regional and international secretariats.
The International Secretariat located in Chennai, India provides the co-ordinating link among the regional secretariats, and initiates inter-regional programmes. An executive committee consisting of distinguished experts in science, technology and development issues drawn from the North and the South, oversees the functioning of COSTED and provides direction for planning new activities. The regional secretariats enjoy autonomy in devising regional activities in consultation with a regional Programme Advisory Board (where constituted), which enables them to reflect the needs and concerns perceived by the regions. An important function of the regional secretariats is to establish, promote and strengthen regional scientific networks so as to stimulate grass root level initiatives and South-South co-operation.
COSTED has at present 30 national members, paying annual membership contributions and working in close co-operation in implementing the activities. A Plenary meeting held once in every three years provides a forum for consultation with the national members in devising new programmes based on the perceived needs of the member countries. A plenary meeting was held for the first time in September 1999 in Cairo, Egypt in conjunction with the 26th General Assembly of ICSU. Thirty-five corresponding members from the ICSU family ensure synergy in COSTED and ICSU efforts.
The core funding for programmes is derived from ICSU and UNESCO as well as from annual membership subscriptions. COSTED works in close collaboration with a number of international scientific and development agencies in specific projects, which are funded on a case-to-case basis. The host governments generously provide operational costs of the Secretariats.
The Executive Committee has defined the following mission for COSTED, against the backdrop of present global trends:
· To strengthen, organise and integrate the scientific communities of developing regions of the world;
· To stimulate and facilitate the participation of scientists and scientific institutions of the developing countries in the activities of international science and technology;
· To generate programmes and projects that increase the scientific and technological capacity of developing countries and address problems relevant to their cultural and socio-economic development and of international scope; and
· To provide advice on science and technology policies to governments and other concerned institutions in the developing world.
Strengths and major achievements over the years
The strength of COSTED is its affiliation to ICSU and thereby its access to the scientific and technical expertise of the highest orders worldwide and across disciplines, as well as its outreach to the grassroots level scientists and technologists in developing countries. This enables COSTED to play the role of a matchmaker between funding agencies, development issues and the stakeholders in developing countries. COSTED also has the competitive advantage of being able to encourage and facilitate the participation of least developed and isolated small countries to participate in international scientific projects. Over the years COSTED has gained wide experience and deep insights into the challenging task of using indigenous science and technology to provide sustainable solutions. The cultural, geographic and economic heterogeneity within the developing regions calls for strategic approaches in mounting regional and international programmes. Some major achievements in the recent years include the following:
Organisational
· Growth of national members from 10 in 1990 to 30 in 2001;
· Co-sponsorship of COSTED by UNESCO since 1994;
· Successful establishment of thematic scientific networks particularly in the Latin American region;
· Mobilisation of substantial funding from UNESCO for the Latin American COSTED networks;
· Establishment of the Asia Oceania Network for Biological Sciences in Bangkok which now functions as a regional secretariat; and
· Reasonable success in project-based fund raising.
Activities
Some of the activities undertaken by COSTED include:
· Promoting the active participation of developing countries in the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme of ICSU;
· Pursuing a consistent initiative on raising awareness and preparedness on intellectual property rights and its implications for developing countries;
· Participating in a three member ICSU delegation to the WIPO Inter-governmental meeting in September 1997 which successfully lobbied against a database property rights treaty which was perceived as a threat to the integrity of science;
· Playing an ctive role in facilitating the integration of science and technology in the operation of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) established by UNEP, UNDP and the World Bank; and
· Setting up of an international interdisciplinary biodiversity network focusing on natural products research, presently involving 19 countries.
COSTED has a broad mandate which is challenged by the science and technology needs of developing countries. However, strategic programme areas have been recognised and established to address these needs. These include (i) regional thematic networking in Science, (ii) mobility of scientists in the south; (iii) capacity building for delivering science and technology; (iv) industry and sustainable development in the south; (v) science and technology for sustainable use of natural resources; (vi) promoting intellectual capital in the south; and (vii) information and outreach.
Constraints
The main constraint to COSTED activities has been funding. Despite this, the number of regional secretariats and outreach activities has increased over the years. In contrast, there has unfortunately been a steady decline in core funding. Although the number of national members has increased significantly, membership contributions have not proportionately increased. Despite these constraints, COSTED has demonstrated a remarkable ability to use its modest resources as seed funding to leverage substantial funding from external sources.
Another constraint is the diversity and complexity of issues within developing regions, which often make it difficult to mount regional projects. The visibility and voice for science is usually very low in developing countries. There is a need to explicitly demonstrate the role of science in society and human welfare. Finally, the lack of political will in developing countries to make long term investments in science and technology, is yet another hurdle which COSTED strives to surmount.
Activities and opportunities in Southern and East Africa
COSTED (SEA) is based within the International Science Liaison Unit of the NRF in Pretoria. An annual grant is received from the Central Secretariat in Chennai, India to facilitate activities within the region. Persons wishing to apply for funding may direct their enquiries to Mrs. H. Botha (hannekie@nrf.ac.za) at the NRF. Over the past few years COSTED (SEA) has organised a number of activities to promote science and technology in the region. Details of these activities can be accessed from the Annual Reports of COSTED or from the website (http://www.costed.org/). There has been a move to support science organisations rather than individuals only. The emphasis has been on technology transfer, enhancing mobility of scientists and capacity building. A number of science conferences have received support. Should scientists be engaged in any of the above activities in the region, they are most welcome to apply for leverage funding.
COSTED: Caretakers of developing countries? The road ahead
At a meeting of the Executive Committee held in China in January 2001, the role of COSTED was discussed at length. Should COSTED be the caretakers of developing countries or should this responsibility be shouldered by other agencies also? Should COSTED's efforts be synergistic with the initiatives of the International Foundation of Science, Third World Academy of Sciences, etc.? COSTED is currently being assessed by the Committee for Scientific Planning and Review of ICSU. This exercise is expected to fine-tune the strategies and activities of COSTED to respond to global trends influencing science and technology systems in the developing world. Dwindling resources for publicly funded science, globalisation of research and development, and international trade requirements that drive investments in science and technology are some of the current trends that threaten to marginalise developing countries' efforts in science and technology. Against this setting, it is time for developing countries to become more pro-active in setting the agenda for their own scientific development and identifying priorities within the regions. However, the advancement of these countries in the face of political instability, poverty and illiteracy is no easy task. Only a massive injection of resources and skills into these regions will facilitate their movement in science from the periphery to the centre. The investment by developed countries in these regions can only serve to ensure a better quality of life for all persons of the world.
All signals indicate that the next century will be more science and technology driven. Many developing countries will see their "science gaps" with the industrialised west further widening. This points to a very important role for COSTED, in addressing the challenges ahead and taking advantage of opportunities for sustainable development. There is need to identify the important areas and programmes, which will equip the developing countries with appropriate capacities to enhance benefits that science, and technology will offer. Sustainable development will continue to be a fundamental doctrine in COSTED's programmes
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