30 April 2009: Speaking on behalf of Abdoulie Janneh, UN Economic Commission for African (UNECA) Executive Secretary, Josué Dioné, Director of the Food Security and Sustainable Development Division of the UNECA, addressed the first session of the UNECA’s Committee on Development Information, Science and Technology (CODIST-1), held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 28 April-1 May 2009.

In his statement, Dioné urged African governments to support the development of science and technology to promote sustainable development and shield the continent from the current economic crisis. He noted that the meeting’s theme, “Scientific Development, Innovation and the Knowledge Economy,” had been chosen to emphasize that science, technology and innovation play an important role in helping African countries cope with the current global financial and economic crisis, as well as the food, energy and climate change challenges that they face. [UNECA press release] [UN press release] [Meeting website]