ECOWAS Policy on Science and Technology

In 2011, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) adopted a Policy on Science and Technology (ECOPOST).

An integral part of Vision 2020

ECOPOST is an essential component of the sub region's Vision 2020 Development Plan. Vision 2020 lays out a plan for better governance, faster economic and monetary unification and increased Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). It supports the planned harmonization of investment regulations in West Africa and advises pushing the establishment of a regional investment promotion agency "with vigour." Countries are being advised to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as to expose traditional agriculture to modern technology, entrepreneurship and innovation, in order to boost production.

A framework for national policies

ECOPOST provides a framework for member states wishing to improve or elaborate their own national policies and action plans for science, technology and innovation. Moreover, ECOPOST includes a mechanism for monitoring and evaluating the policy's implementation, an aspect often overlooked.

It does not neglect funding, rather it proposes creating a solidarity fund which would be managed by a Directorate within ECOWAS to help countries fund investment in key institutions and improve education and training; the fund would also be used to attract foreign direct investment. As of early 2015, the fund had not yet been established.

The regional policy advocates the development of a science culture in all sectors of society, including through science popularization, the dissemination of research results in local and international journals, the commercialization of research results, greater technology transfer, intellectual property protection, stronger university–industry ties and the enhancement of traditional knowledge.

ECOPOST encourages countries inter align to:

raise gross domestic expenditure on research and development (GERD) to 1% of GDP, as recommended by the African Union in 2003; in 2013, research intensity averaged 0.3% in West Africa;

define their own research priorities, so that researchers are working on topics of national interest rather than those proposed by donors;

create a national S&T fund which would allocate funds to research projects on a competitive basis;

establish science and innovation prizes;

define a harmonized regional status for researchers;

establish a national fund for local innovators which would also help them protect their intellectual property rights;

adapt university curricula to local industrial needs;

develop small research and training units in key industrial fields, such as lasers, fiber optics, biotechnology, composite materials and pharmaceuticals;

equip research laboratories, including with information and communication technologies;

establish science and technology parks and business incubators;

help companies specializing in electronics to set up business in their country and develop the use of satellites and remote sensing for telecommunications, environmental monitoring, climatology, meteorology, etc.;

develop a national capacity to manufacture computer hardware and design software;

facilitate the spread of modern information technology infrastructure to foster teaching, training and research;

incite the private sector to finance research and technology through tax incentives and related measures;

create networks between universities, research institutions and industry to promote collaboration;

foster clean, sustainable sources of energy and the development of local construction materials;

establish national and regional databases on research and development activities.