Department of Natural Resources Canada Earth Sciences Sector and

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Strategic Approach to International Cooperation

• Department of Natural Resources Canada
  (Earth Sciences
  Sector) and
• United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
  Cooperation
• Towards an Active Working Partnership in
  Harnessing ICTs and Science, Technology and
  Innovation for Development
• Omar Allam Senior Advisor (Africa),
  International Affairs
• Annual Meeting of the Vth African Technical
  Advisory Committee (ATAC)
• Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• 12 - 14 December 2006, United Nations Conference
  Center (UNCC) - Briefing Room 2

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Presentation Outline
1
Introduction

2
Context
Collaborative Initiatives NRCan and ECA
3
Conclusion
4
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• Government of Canada
• Natural Resources Canada
• Minister Gary Lunn
• Earth Sciences Sector
• Energy Sector
• Mineral and Mining Sector
• Canadian Forest Services
• Corporate Services Sector

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Flashback

• At the G8 Summit in 2002, UN Secretary General
  Kofi Anan called for partnership between Natural
  Resources Canada and ECA to use Science
  Technology to address development challenges in
  Africa.
• The ICT Team within ISTD was identified as focal
  point for cooperation between ECA and the
  Departments Earth Sciences Sector.
• In 2005, MoU between NRCan and the Canadian
  e-Policy Resource Centre formalises and
  concretises the delivery of Canadian ICT
  expertise and provides a concrete framework for
  future cooperation with ECAs ICT Team

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The International Division of ESS Mission

• to promote sustainable development in Canada
  and abroad by supporting internationally our
  earth sciences community in science, technology
  and innovation, capacity building/development
  cooperation and trade and investment initiatives
  while advancing Canadas excellence in the ST of
  geomatics.

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Africa Strategy

• Approved September 2006
• The strategy provides strategic focus for ESS by
• focusing programming in key sectors and
  countries
• focusing on regional cooperation with
  regional/multilateral orgs
• reinforcing the engagement of private sector,
  academia and civil society as partners and
• putting in place a leading edge delivery system

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NRCan (ESS) ECA (ICT Team) ICT4D initiatives
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Utilizing Science, Technology and Innovation for
Land Management in the Knowledge Economy

• Issue
• Activity
• Outputs
• Expected Outcomes
• Way Forward

Strengthen the capacity of member states in
application of Land Information Systems in the
Knowledge Economy
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Utilizing Science, Technology and Innovation for
Land Management in the Knowledge Economy

• Issue
• Activity
• Outputs
• Expected Outcomes
• Way Forward

10
Utilizing Science, Technology and Innovation for
Land Management in the Knowledge Economy

• Issue
• Activity
• Outputs
• Expected Outcomes
• Way Forward

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Utilizing Science, Technology and Innovation for
Land Management in the Knowledge Economy

• Issue
• Activity
• Outputs
• Expected Outcomes
• Way Forward

Enhanced development of skills and level of
know-how and do-how in ICTs and ST for Land
Management and the Knowledge Economy
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Utilizing Science, Technology and Innovation for
Land Management in the Knowledge Economy

• Issue
• Activity
• Outputs
• Expected Outcomes
• Way Forward

ECA (ISTD) and NRCan (ESS) in partnership with
Canadian e-Policy Resource Centre shall
identify/support local demonstration projects
that enhance the ability of rural, remote, and
coastal communities to use ICTs (Land Information
Systems in the Knowledge Economy) to plan and
manage their economic, environmental and social
development.
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Harnessing ICTs, Science, Technology and
Innovation for Public Health
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Harnessing ICTs, Science, Technology and
Innovation for Public Health

• Issue
• Activity
• Outputs
• Expected Outcomes
• Way Forward

Strengthen the capacity of SADC and member states
in the development of health systems for
evidenced-based policy
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Harnessing ICTs, Science, Technology and
Innovation for Public Health

• Issue
• Activity
• Outputs
• Expected Outcomes
• Way Forward

• Promoting awareness on ICTs, ST, Innovation and
  Public Health
• Provide appropriate Canadian technical
  assistance to SADC
• Promoting horizontal and vertical partnerships
  throughout the regions

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Harnessing ICTs, Science, Technology and
Innovation for Public Health

• Scoping Mission / Feasibility Study (March 2005)
  
• Field missions to member states (2005, 2006,
  2007)
• Regional STI and public health policy workshop
  in South Africa (June 2007)
• Regional Assessment carried out in SADC member
  states to identify the current needs and
  experiences of SADC (14 countries)
• SADC Regional Action Plan prepared and findings
  presented to SADC Ministers of Health (Nov.
  2007)

• Issue
• Activity
• Outputs
• Expected Outcomes
• Way Forward

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Harnessing ICTs, Science, Technology and
Innovation for Public Health

• Issue
• Activity
• Outputs
• Expected Outcomes
• Way Forward

Enhanced capacity of African decision-makers to
formulate and implement timely and appropriate
health policies, legislation, projects and
programs. Promote sub-regional cooperation of
14 participating countries at the policy level
to establish consensus on direction of
strengthening health systems in line Article 7 -
Health Information Systems outlined in SADCs
Protocol on Health.
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Harnessing ICTs, Science, Technology and
Innovation for Public Health

• NRCan (ESS) will work through ECA (ISTD) and
  Lusaka office to link to the e-SADC initiative to
  SADCs Social and Human Development and Special
  Programmes Directorate.
• In partnership ESS and ECA shall support ongoing
  sensitization of policy and decision makers and
  stakeholders on ICT4D issues to secure high level
  commitments, including the sustainable
  implementation of NICI plans.
• Development of a health systems project
  (regional malaria info system) (5
  countries)

• Issue
• Activity
• Outputs
• Expected Outcomes
• Way Forward

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5. Annex
Developing a National Geomatics (ICT) Framework
in support of the Senegalese NICI plan
e-Governance project developing the capacity of
the Senegalese Government in using STI
(geo-information) applications as a tool for
policy development

• Partnership between ESS, Government of Senegal
  ADIE, (Centre de Suivi Ecologique), Canadian
  e-Policy Resource Centre and the Canadian earth
  sciences industry.
• Project is intended to strengthen the capacity of
  the public sector in Senegal through the sharing
  of Canadian public sector expertise in
  e-governance and geomatics by promoting a more
  strategic government-wide approach to developing
  a National Geomatics Framework.

Natural Resources Canada
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• On-going/Future NRCan (ESS) and ECA partnerships
  in ICTs and STI allows for
• Leveraged expertise and consistent approach
  linked to ISTDs Work Programme 2007-2009 and the
  Earth Sciences Sectors goals, objectives and
  responsibilities in Africa
• More coordinated approach using ICT and ST
  (SDI/NICI) as instruments to realize the AISI
  goals
• Better alignment with and progress towards global
  development goals and priorities (MDGs NEPAD G8
  Africa Action Plan Paris Declaration etc)
• Key Canada-Africa partnerships in international
  development inter-alia ICTs, science, technology
  and innovation for development

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Thank You / Merci
Omar Allam Senior Advisor, Africa International
Division Policy and Coordination
Branch Natural Resources Canada
Telephone 1
[phone] E-mail Omar.Allam_at_nrcan.gc.ca On
the Web at http//ess.nrcan.gc.ca/intl/int
l_activities/index_e.php
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Government of Canada