Ghana-UK launch 4-year science, technology, innovation strategy

Ghana and the United Kingdom(UK) have launched a four-year Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) strategy as part of efforts to strengthen the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

The strategy involves placing emphasis on the development and application of frontier technology such as artificial intelligence, robotics and data service.

It also aims at increasing the quality and impact of UK-Ghana ST&I partnership.

A steering committee will be appointed by the two parties to oversee the successful implementation of the initiative.

The British High Commission in Accra and the Ministry of Environmental, Science, Technology and Innovation will monitor and coordinate the implementation and also prepare yearly reports.

Launch

The visiting Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK, James Cleverly, and the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, jointly launched the strategy at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) at the University of Ghana last Monday.

Ghana and the UK have a strong history of working together in ST&I.

The UK enjoys the reputation as global leaders in ST&I and has ambitions to further its impact  through international partnerships,

Ghana, on the other hand,  has a thriving ST&I community driving innovation in financial services, agriculture and medical research.

 Mr Cleverly said the UK was committed to working with Ghana to exploit opportunities science,  technology and innovation had to offer for their mutual benefits.

He said ST&I was going to help alleviate poverty and increase prosperity.

“UK and Ghana share a common vision on the importance of science and technology and we are already collaborating extensively on ST&I,” Mr Cleverly said and added that “there is an appetite to do more and the strategy would set out our joint plans to work together and also focus on our common priorities”.

The British High Commissioner, Harriet Thompson, said the collaboration would go beyond the two governments.

Mr Afriyie also said the strategy reflected the joint priorities and interests of the two countries.

He said it would enable them to consolidate their efforts and direct their energies into pursuing coherent objectives and goals that would increase the quality and impact of the partnership.

“The two partners have agreed to operationalise the strategy by seeking to reach out to many stakeholders within the eco-system, and  expand the membership of the UK-Ghana Business Council (UKGBC) to include strategic representatives who will be charged with monitoring the implementation of the strategy on a bi-annual basis.,” the minister added.

Mr Cleverly had earlier visited a high-tech laboratory using genome sequencing to tackle diseases.

The laboratory, located at the NMIMR, was funded by the UK to help in genome sequencing during the COVID-19 pandemic period.