Areas for policy action: recommended interventions to address misalignments between STI and the SDGs

We propose a transformation of research funding and support systems, to mobilize a diversity of pathways to address the SDGs. We identify four main areas for action, with specific policy recommendations for research funders and policymakers: 1. Increase funding for SDGrelated research and innovation, particularly in low-income countries 2. Devote more funding to research that addresses underlying social inequalities, social innovations and informal research, in combination with technical solutions 3. Improve alignment between countries’ SDG priorities and their STI portfolios 4. Adopt a more holistic approach to research evaluation, with indicators and data that relate to a range of desired inputs, outcomes and impact

Securing Africa’s health sovereignty : why investing in science and innovation matters

This paper aims at provoking broad-based dialogues and debates on ways and means of securing Africa’s health sovereignty. It argues that health sovereignty is about the realization of specific national constitutional and policy objectives on citizens’ access to and enjoyment of good health, resilient to COVID-19 and related disease pandemics. The paper also emphasizes the urgency of African countries fulfilling their commitments under global and regional declarations on health research. Investing in research, knowledge and innovation is critical to fight and win the war against COVID-19 and other diseases that undermine economic productivity and competitiveness of African countries. There is also a need for venture capitalists to demonstrate bankable ideas emanating from the science academies and funded by National Science Foundations. The base teachings at school level need to significantly invest in the “African philosophy” to create a shift in mind-set from the “grab and own without use mentality that is currently predominant on the continent. The paper recommends that executive, political and science leadership are needed to strengthen national health research and innovation systems through improved evidence-based policy implementation. With these thrusts working effectively together, rather than in silos, will afford the African continent to emerge victoriously in the combat against COVID-19 and other disease burdens

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

A systematic literature review and mapping of systemic barriers to digital learning innovation in Africa in the context of changing global value chains

This manuscript has been produced based on a conference paper submission (Ouma-Mugabe and Mbaya 2022) and a PhD Manuscript currently under development (Mbaya forthcoming).In the context of COVID-19, universities, national innovation systems (NIS) and global value chains (GVCs), this paper explores systemic barriers (trends and factors) that influence digital learning innovation (DLI) in Africa. The study used the PRISMA framework and Scopus data for a systematic literature review (SLR) and a bibliometric analysis spanning 2000–2021. It also mapped universities globally and in Africa based on Webometrics (Jan 2022) and the Global Innovation Index (Feb 2022) data using a typology. A broad SLR on digital learning extracted two African samples of 2,640 and 4,669. A narrow SLR on DLI, Innovation Systems (IS) and Innovation Barriers (IB) extracted 221 studies. The broad SLR showed that Africa (with the exception of South Africa continentally and Kenya regionally) lags globally in digital learning literature. It also identified country, affiliation (university) and funding sponsor as three possible factors that influence DLI. The narrow SLR revealed a gap in the literature on DLI – IS – IB and a low emphasis on GVCs. From the literature, this paper proposes a conceptual model spanning DLI – IS – IB and a typology of systemic barriers to inform future research. It also provides unique empirical data to inform DLI and GVC focused public policies.A University of Pretoria bursary in 2021 and 2022.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rajs202025-08-08hj2024Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM)SDG-04:Quality Educatio

Public policies and institutions influencing South Africa’s outward foreign direct investment

South Africa is among the leading outward foreign direct investor nations from emerging countries in the world. The country’s transnational corporations have investments in all the seven continents. The integration of the country into the global economic and trading system boosted its outward foreign direct investment (OFDI). Since the 1990s, South Africa has adopted a wide range of national policies, created institutions and become a party to international treaties that have remarkably influenced her OFDI. This study examines the public policies, institutions and political factors that influence South Africa’s OFDI since 1994. The country’s OFDI is influenced by diplomatic relations, implicit public policies and indirect institutions, which is similar to developed countries but different to other emerging countries. The study is stimulated by three factors – a few studies have focused on factors influencing OFDI from African countries; scanty empirical evidence on factors that influence South Africa’s OFDI; and the infancy state of African scholarship on the nexus between diplomacy and international investment. This study contributes to growing research on the role of diplomacy in influencing the direction and content of OFDI. Future studies should examine whether South Africa would benefit more through influencing OFDI following the approaches of other emerging countries.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cpsa202018-11-03hj2017Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM)Political Science

A generic technology assessment framework for sustainable energy transitions in African contexts

DATA AVAILABILITY : No data was used for the research described in the article.How African countries manage transitions to decarbonised, environmentally and socially acceptable energy systems is a topical issue in public policy, politics and academic spheres today. There is recognition that technology assessment plays a critical role in the choice of specific pathways to just clean energy transitions. Yet, there is limited energy technology assessment practice in Africa. In fact, technology assessment is not well understood and institutionalised. This, in part, is due to the absence of Africa context tailored technology assessment frameworks. This study used an integrated literature review to explore the state and forms of technology assessments and their relevance to energy technology assessment research. The review showed that diverse forms of technology assessments have evolved due to changing priorities in policy, methodological and practical aspects. We propose an action-oriented energy technology assessment that considers geographical contexts, sustainable development dimensions, and different energy systems as dynamic and fosters inclusive stakeholder engagement. The main output of our proposal is a 3-phased generic framework for conducting energy technology assessments. We conclude that the action-oriented perspective needs to consider a transdisciplinary approach to promote sustainable energy transition and evaluate the sustainability of different energy transition technologies in systemic socio-political and energy contexts.The National Research Foundation incentive funding for rated researchers.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/techfore2025-11-18hj2024Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM)SDG-07:Affordable and clean energ

An analysis of barriers to public sector innovation in Namibia

This study is about barriers to public sector innovation in Namibia. It is motivated by the fact that while the Government of the Republic of Namibia has adopted a wide range of public policies and programmes, and established institutions to promote the efficiency and effectiveness of its public sector, not much is known as to whether these measures are enhancing innovation in service delivery and public administration. There is a paucity of evidence-based analysis on public sector innovation in Namibia. The study fills the gap and aims to stimulate further academic inquiry into this area. Based on an online survey, face-to-face interviews, and focus group discussions at regional and national workshops, we identified and analysed barriers to public sector innovation in the country. The study recommends a strategic policy framework and whole-ofgovernment institutional configuration to spur on innovation in public service delivery and administration. It suggests further research on the measurement of public sector innovation, and detailed analysis of specific barriers to innovation in public services.http://www.saapam.co.za/joba.htmlam2023School of Public Management and Administration (SPMA

Securing Africa’s health sovereignty: why investing in science and innovation matters

This paper aims at provoking broad-based dialogues and debates on ways and means of securing Africa’s health sovereignty. It argues that health sovereignty is about the realization of specific national constitutional and policy objectives on citizens’ access to and enjoyment of good health, resilient to COVID-19 and related disease pandemics. The paper also emphasizes the urgency of African countries fulfilling their commitments under global and regional declarations on health research. Investing in research, knowledge and innovation is critical to fight and win the war against COVID-19 and other diseases that undermine economic productivity and competitiveness of African countries. There is also a need for venture capitalists to demonstrate bankable ideas emanating from the science academies and funded by National Science Foundations. The base teachings at school level need to significantly invest in the “African philosophy” to create a shift in mind-set from the “grab and own without use mentality that is currently predominant on the continent. The paper recommends that executive, political and science leadership are needed to strengthen national health research and innovation systems through improved evidence-based policy implementation. With these thrusts working effectively together, rather than in silos, will afford the African continent to emerge victoriously in the combat against COVID-19 and other disease burdens

Steering science, technology and innovation towards the Sustainable Development Goals

This policy brief summarises the results of the Steering Research and Innovation for Global Goals (STRINGS) project – a major global study into the alignment between science, technology and innovation (STI) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It highlights a glaring mismatch between STIs and the SDGs; warns that, if this mismatch is not addressed, it will undermine progress on the SDGs; and makes recommendations about how to tackle this imbalance. It is largely based on the STRINGS report summary