African Inter-Parliamentary Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation (AIPF-STI)

The AIPF-STI is working to promote development, dissemination, and sharing of scientific information and knowledge, experience in policymaking, legislative action, and funding. It will also undertake studies and foster debate among members on issues of common interest, including poverty reduction and attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

According to the AIPF-STI draft charter, the forum will prioritise future global scientific research trends, including: evidence-based STI policymaking; legislation and innovative financing schemes; science education and communication; and identification of local and regional needs.

In addition, the forum is working towards the harmonisation of national legislation and policies promoting STI for development. This includes supporting scientists to push their agenda at the policymaking level by working closely with members of Parliament to lobby governments for funding.

The forum also seeks to capitalise on the role the media could play in communicating science to parliamentarians and to the public. This will include bringing parliamentarians, scientists, and journalists together to influence the policymaking process.

According to the Forum organisers, all national African parliaments, the Pan-African Parliament, and all regional parliamentary assemblies will be members. Observer status may be granted to the Network of African Science Academies, the media, representatives of science councils or universities, and regional and international organisations such as UNECA, ISESCO, and UNESCO.

The founding members of the forum are the Central African Republic, Gabon, The Gambia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, and Senegal. Hon. Abdirahin Haithar Abdi, Speaker of the East Africa Legislative Assembly based in Kenya, will chair the Steering Committee. The AIPF will have a secretariat supporting its administrative functions with clear terms of reference and supported by UNESCO, UNECA and ISESCO.

Science and Technology, Governance

According to UNESCO, Members of Parliament are increasingly expected to be able to assess the implications for their county's development agenda of emerging trends in STI and evolving policy practices. Parliamentarians are being called upon to legislate on emerging or technical issues that may at times be controversial. These issues include genetically modified organisms, bioethics, the protection of indigenous knowledge, technology transfer, climate change adaptation and mitigation, nanotechnology, and biodiversity conservation and use. Given the socio-economic repercussions of legislation on these issues, parliamentarians need to be aware of the importance of STI policy for facilitating empowered, people-centred decision-making.