The ATPS Phase VIII Strategic Plan
2017 - 2022

The current ATPS Strategic Plan Phase VIII for 2017-2022 is born out of necessity to meet the dynamic nature of ATPS stakeholders’ needs and aspirations as well as to realign the ATPS’s strategic priorities and programmes with those of the continental and global development agendas.

Through interactive, participatory and consultative processes, the needs and aspirations of the ATPS stakeholders from across its wide network were integrated into the plan. On July 29th 2016, the ATPS convened a Stakeholders’ Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, to review inputs into the new strategic plan. This culminated to the stakeholders’ dialogue and gave impetus to the harmonization of all inputs into one comprehensive plan.

Again, the current ATPS plan mirrors the African Union’s Agenda 2063 that recognizes science, technology and Innovation (STI) as one of the major drivers and enablers for achieving development goals of the African Union and its Member States. To support the implementation of this Agenda, African countries have adopted a 10-year Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024), which is part of the long-term people-centred African Union (AU) Agenda, underpinned by STI and necessary for achieving the continental sustainable development and economic transformations.

The STISA-2024, which seeks to “accelerate Africa’s transition to innovation-led knowledge-based economies”, emphasizes the inevitability of Africa to build a credible knowledge-based economy by putting in place supportive technical and professional competencies, competitive research infrastructure base, flourishing innovations, and a conducive policy environment for STI. The Agenda further articulates that Africa’s sustained growth, competitiveness and economic transformation will require sustained investment in new technologies and continuous innovation in areas such as agriculture, clean energy, education, health and bio-sciences.

The current ATPS plan additionally mirrors the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that integrate economic, social and environmental aspects of development and recognize their interlinkages in achieving sustainable development in all its dimensions. These goals are crystalized into 17 interlinked goals with its accompanying targets and indicators. Having duly considered the above, it is, therefore, our belief that the current ATPS Strategic Plan is ‘smart’, durable, and a forward-looking plan with great potentials to impact on socio-economic developments in Africa at individual, institutional, national, regional and continental levels. It is our hope that through the STI research, policy and practice interventions earmarked in the ATPS plan a series of outcomes will be achieved.

These outcomes include but not limited to improved research and development (R&D) expenditures especially on the priority sectors identified in this plan (agriculture, energy, climate change/environment, and health); evidence-based research that informs policy and decision-making in STI; improved capacity in STI research, policy and practice at individual, institutional and systemic levels; increased technological advancements and innovations for solving societal challenges of hunger, unemployment, poverty, climate change, diseases, energy access, social inequities, political instability and depleting natural resources; more youth and women empowered to sustain themselves; increased interactions and knowledge exchange between and amongst various stakeholders in the innovation system; more start-ups and entrepreneurs; and increased integration, collaboration and partnerships between and amongst STI institutions and African countries in general.

ATPS will work with like-minded institutions and partners in the implementation of its Phase VIII Strategic Plan. Already, the ATPS has signed various Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) and Partnership Agreements (PAs) with many institutions in Africa and beyond for collaboration in the implementation of thematic priorities, programmes and projects. We will continue to forge more partnerships that add value to our work as we implement the ATPS Phase VIII Strategic Plan for 2017-2022.