this 1st April 2015 signed an agreement with the Ministry of Science and Technology, known in South Africa as the Department of Science and Technology. This agreement, signed by the Permanent Secretaries ofboth ministries, is a commitment by both ministries to pave the way
for mutual agreement in diverse areas of cooperation including
capacity building, policy implementation, review of the STI
indicators, sending a staff from the Research directorate for training
and mentoring, among others.
It is agreed that a technical team will be sent to the Gambia in the
next three months to build the agreement to a Memorandum of Agreement
to be signed by both Ministers.
South Africa is committed to strengthening Science and Technology
collaboration in particular focusing on mutual STI capacity building,
human capital development and research collaboration that contributes
to reducing poverty, unemployment and inequalities.
1. DST is keenly interested in collaborating with African partners in
implementing the Continental Science and Technology programmes,
particularly STISA 2024.
2. DST is committed to working with The Gambia in exploring and
identifying priority areas of mutual interest through which the two
countries can fully exploit STI cooperation for development and
economic growth.
The Government of The Republic of The Gambia, through her Ministry of
Higher Education, Research, Science and technology (MoHERST), seeks
Cooperation in the fields of Scientific, Research and Technological
Capacity and Competency Development through Knowledge and
Technological Transfer and short-term assistance in the development of
technical expertise from diverse experts from The Republic of South
Africa’s Department of Science & Technology (S&T).
Highlights of the areas of cooperation include, but are not limited,
to the following:
A. Conduct a Situational Analysis of MoHERST’s capacity to determine
her effectiveness and efficiency as an Organization capable to
revitalize the S&T Ecosystem in The Gambia and put in place a ‘smart’
and futuristic organization.
B. Build Capacity & Competencies to Develop and deploy S&T
Areas of technical support:
1. Review MoHERST’s Institutional Architecture & Process Innovations
and redesign and Restructure Processes, policies, workflow to
reposition the organization as a ‘Smart’ and responsive Organization
2. Review the Ecosystem of The Gambia’s current Scientific, Research
and Technological Infrastructure, Policies, Institutional arrangements
and identify gaps
3. Review the current National STI Policy of The Gambia and to develop
the institutional framework and implementation Plan
4. Review of the financial and corporate plan of the S&T Organization
and put in place a comprehensive financial and corporate plan
5. Design and develop a sustainable, strategic and futuristic S&T
institutional architecture, mapping all the processes resulting to a
comprehensive blue print that will position The Gambia with
Scientific, Research and Technological Capability in 30 years. This
should include developing a financial and human capital plan,
institutional arrangements and requirements for the implementation of
the blue print to achieve this national objective.
6. Design and Develop the Gambia’s National System of Innovations (NSI)
7. Review current S&T Policy instruments, Legal and Legislative
framework to govern S&T development, growth and protection in the
Gambia and to put in place all necessary legal and legislative
framework and processes
8. Build capacity and competency in Space Technologies, Policies and
Law, through post graduate training at University of Cape Town’s Post
Graduate Program and similar programs at Universities in South Africa;
9. Build capacity and capability in the SKA Project and to participate
in the African SKA Project, particularly in the Human Capital
Development Programme for studies in astronomy, engineering,
technician training programs; radio telescope technologies;
10. Expose young Gambian scientists to interact and exchange with the
world leading astronomers at the SKA Project through internship and
short-term visiting opportunities at the South African Space Agency
11. Support Gambia to be accredited as a Member of the African
countries identified or accredited with an Observer Status in the SKA
African Working Group and on-going activities.
12. Build capacity in high performance computing and
support the establishment of a scalable HPC Centre in the Gambia and
short-term training at HPC especially at the South African Centre For
High Performance Computing;
13. Build capacity and capability on Data Sciences/Big Data
Capabilities and short-term training on Data Science research canters
and institutes in South Africa.
14. S&T Institutional Building to develop national Scientific Research
and Innovation organizations in The Gambia- Conceptualization and
Organizational Blue Print and Road Map for the establishment of
strategic national scientific institutions to develop, protect and
provide funding for Research.
15. Help establish and strengthen the following:
a. The National Scientific and Research Foundation
b. The Council for Scientific Research & Innovations
c. The Gambia’s Academy of Sciences
The Gambian delegation and the Department of Science and Technology
expressed willingness to cooperate, and for the two countries, to
enter into and sign a Memorandum of Agreement establishing their
Cooperation in S&T within 60 days from this meeting.
MOHERST Press Release]]>
