The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), deposited the instrument of ratification to the SADC Protocol on Science, Technology and Innovation of 2008 at the SADC Secretariat, in Gaborone, Botswana on 11November 2023.
The legal instrument of ratification was deposited by Honourable, Mr. Gilbert Kabanda Kurhenga, Minister of Scientific Research and Technological Innovation of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Minister was received by the SADC Head of Legal Ms. Nthabiseng Liphapang on behalf of the Executive Secretary, H.E. Mr. Elias Magosi.
The SADC Protocol on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) was adopted in 2008 by the SADC Heads of State and Government and only entered into force in 2019. The aim of the Protocol is to foster cooperation and promoting the development and transfer of science, technology and innovation (STI) within Member States. It is one of the Protocol’s that took a long time for member states to ratify. During the Joint Ministerial meeting on Education and Training and Science, Technology and Innovation that was held in June 2023 in the DRC, the DRC reported during the Ministerial meeting, that they completed the process to accede to the Protocol on STI and notified the Secretariat in January 2023 of their intention to deposit the instrument of accession to the Secretariat. The Ministers at their meeting in June 2023 congratulated DRC for acceding to the Protocol on STI.
