AFRO-NETS> NEPAD: Vision for Africa (2)

[Rene Loewenson <rene@tarsc.org>]

NEPAD: Vision for Africa (2)
----------------------------

Hi Steve,

Well done for taking a step to open the debate to the health research 
community - most I think don't know what NEPAD includes in its con-
tent which makes it difficult to contextualize your arguments.

There are some unanswered questions:

1. Does the NEPAD programme provide sufficient reinvestment in the 
public sector to facilitate the link between evidence and public pol-
icy - there are critiques that it does not - are these valid in your 
view and if so are there not then fundamental obstacles to the sort 
of scientific endeavour you refer to?

2. Does the NEPAD adequately address the political constraints to the 
institutional use of knowledge and evidence? You know these better 
than most, and the impact it has on 'scientific demoralisation'. What 
synergy can scientists and research bring to the positive features of 
NEPAD in this respect, and where are the unresolved barriers?

3. Has NEPAD sufficiently centred on human centred development poli-
cies to reverse the massive outflow taking place of research and 
technical expertise, and has it adequately confronted global trade 
issues to deal with not just protecting technical and intellectual 
rights, but generating an affirmative skills and technical transfer 
into the south?

You've raised an interesting set of issues - It would be good to take 
forward an evidence led debate on these and other questions!

Thanks for the stimulus! 

Rene Loewenson
Harare, Zimbabwe
mailto:rene@tarsc.org

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