A comprehensive Science, Innovation & Technology (STI) policy document spanning 13 years of implementation throughout Ethiopia has reached its final rounds of consultation. The draft document containing sixteen chapters was presented for feedback from industry stakeholders over the past week at the Hilton Addis Hotel. Backed by support from the International Trade Center’s Netherlands Trust Fund V (NTF V), the policy document looks to accelerate the realization of Sustainable Development Goals by leveraging STI.
Following a year of rigorous development under the guidance of international and local experts, it outlines eight strategic directions that include human resource development, building a research infrastructure, establishing standards for quality, and strong intellectual property frameworks.
Despite state-led progress in digitization of several government services, Ethiopia’s aggregate rank has fallen by five positions to 130th in the 2024 Global Innovation Index. The low-income country is also ranked last among 133 countries in terms of human capital and research, as well as market sophistication. Understandably, human resource development is the first goal of the draft policy document.
Belete Mola (PhD), Minister of Innovation & Technology (MiNT), stressed the importance of leveraging STI to bring about thorough improvement in the livelihood of Ethiopians during the validation workshop. He pinned the success of the country’s economic plans on close alignment between the government’s economic agenda and the accelerated expansion of STI.
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