More than 60 science and technology journalists from various African countries met in Ethiopia to form the East African Network of Science Journalists.
The UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and African Union Commission (AUC) made use of this opportunity to arrange a workshop with the title "Making Science and Technology Information more Accessible for Africa's Development" for the journalists and other stakeholders.
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Science and technology journalists from various African countries met in Ethiopia to form the East African Network of Science Journalists. |
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The Economic Commission for Africa's headquarters in Addis Ababa where the meeting took place. |
"While the workshop focused mostly on science reporting in the East African region, many of the challenges and approaches to interventions are similar to those we experience in South Africa," says Lorenzo Raynard, manager of SAASTA's Science Communication Unit who attended the meeting and workshop. "Both these events created networking opportunities that were especially useful in preparation for SAASTA's next African Science Communication Conference," says Lorenzo.
The objectives of the workshop were to:
- Create awareness of the role of science, technology and innovation for social and economic development;
- Inform journalists of regional programmes and initiatives on science, technology and innovation led by UNECA, UNESCO, and AUC;
- Provide insight into the fundamental roles and responsibilities of science journalism for African development;
- Determine priority thematic areas and ways to further continue training and development of science journalism;
- Consolidate and strengthen scientific reporting and writing of participants with a view to improving the quality of scientific news reaching the public;
- Exchange on new and emerging science communication methods and approaches; and
- Launch the East African Network of Science Journalists.
Fellow South African, Professor George Claassen from Stellenbosch University presented at the workshop on the science journalism course currently being taught at Stellenbosch University.
It was agreed that the next such meeting will be held in Zambia in order to achieve similar objectives across the SADC region.
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