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necessary technological and organisational knowledge to manage theknowledge economy. The challenge of climate change requires thatAfrica should position itself to benefit from the growth opportunitiesin the emerging green economy.Partnerships are also critical for the success of our efforts. Partnershipsoffer the opportunity for Africa’s scientific community to harnessits intellectual assets and resources and translate them intocommercial successes. In the United States, a group of young researchscientists working for a company called Intellectual Venturesare trying to develop a computer model that could help eradicatemalaria, which afflicts 300 million to 500 million people a year andkills 1 million of them, mainly children in Africa. We therefore needto explore how our own young scientists can contribute to such undertakings.ECA is also in the process of expanding its collaboration with regionalbodies involved in science and technology, such as the African RegionalCentre for Technology (ARCT). ARCT was founded under theauspices of ECA and the African Union and we shall continue to workclosely with them in advancing the science and technology agendain Africa.I now turn to some of the things that ECA and its partners have put inplace following the first Science with Africa conference. Participantswill be pleased to know that a Technology Development and TransferNetwork and the African Science, Technology and Innovation EndowmentFund (ASTIEF) were launched.The Technology Development and Transfer Network seeks to enhancethe capacity of its members to bring potentially useful research leadsand technologies to market and facilitate inter-firm and intra-firmtechnology transfer. It will accordingly create a regional pool of seasonedscientists and business leaders that will help emerging techno-entrepreneursto tap expertise and resources within and outsidetheir national borders.ASTIEF, which is supported by the Government of Finland, is a revolutionaryfunding mechanism to support bankable R&D outputs thatare likely to make a commercial and social return. This novel initiativeis being developed through a unique public-private partnershipIntegrating Africa49