Addis Ababa, 01^st October 2013- The first Bureau meeting of the 5^th African Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology (AMCOST) launched today at the African Union Commission (AUC) with representatives from NEPAD, UNESCO, UNECA, AAS, TWAS, European Union Delegation to the AU, African Development Bank among others.

In his welcoming statement, Dr. Abdul-Hakim Elwaer, Director for the Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology, AUC officially welcomed all delegates and organizations to the conference on behalf of the Commissioner HRST. Pointing out that the Steering Committee is meeting at a critical time, he said that the AU Science Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024 (STISA-2024) and the development of its draft are expected to be the main discussion items of the session.

Reports from the various AU institutions on the progress made since the last session including their challenges, proposed solutions in addition to the development of the African Space Policy and Strategy are also among the central agenda items at this meeting. He concluded “It is evident that there is an ever increasing need for Africa to continue using its full potential in science to curb the development challenges of the time.”

Professor Clobite Bouka Biona, Chair of the AMCOST V Steering Committee, Ministry of Scientific Research; Congo gave the final opening address highlighting to the committee its crucial task of making recommendations to Ministers for the benefit of Science and Technology in our continent. Before officially declaring the AMCOST V Session open, he stated his hopes that in these three days the committee would work hard to develop necessary and useful recommendations to the Bureau of Ministerial meeting.

The session was opened with remarks by Dr. Mahama Ouedraogo, Head of the Division of Science and Technology, AUC who underlined the relevance of the conference in accordance with the commission’ s declaration of December as the month of Science and Technology as well as its Agenda 2063 in general.

The Steering Committee Session of the AMCOST V meeting is due to conclude on Thursday 3^rd October 2013. After a series of discussions and debates are completed, its outcomes, report and recommendations would be presented to the Ministerial Session on the 4^th of October 2013. The following outcomes among others are expected from the meeting:

1. Consideration of AMCOST V Decision Implementation Matrix;

2. Review of CPA Implementation Progress Reports including a report by the AUC/HRST Department;

3. Consideration of the New AU Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024 (STISA-2024);

4. Progress on the development of the Draft African Space Policy and Strategy;

The Steering Committee comprises of delegates representing ten member states from all regions of Africa as well as related AU and UN specialised agencies.