UNCC-AA hosts CODIST-I in April

The United Nations Conference Centre  Addis-Ababa  (UNCC-AA), Ethiopia, is set to play host to the first session of the Committee on Development Information Science and Technology  (CODIST-I) slated for April.

The Regional Advisor, ICT Initiatives at the ICT, Science & Technology Division (ISTD),United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Mr. Thierry H. Amoussougbo, revealed this to ITRealms Online at the weekend.

He said that the four-day event has been scheduled to take place between April 28 and May 1, this year, at UNCC-AA, Ethiopia.

He also said that the theme for CODIST-I is “Scientific Development Innovation and the Knowledge Economy.” Amoussougbo noted that the Committee on Development Information, Science and Technology (CODIST) is one of the seven subsidiary bodies of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) composed of senior officials and experts from member States, who meet on a biennial basis.

As said by him, the role of CODIST is to review challenges and issues pertaining to the information and communications technology, geo-information, science and technology sectors; formulate policies and strategies to address Africa’s development challenges; and determine priorities to be reflected in the work programme of the ICT, Science and Technology Division of ECA.

ITRealms Online gathered that CODIST-I tends to bring together member states’ delegates in the field of ICT, Geo-information and science and technology and other experts to advise ECA in these areas and to review progress made by the Commission and member states towards implementing the recommendations of CODI-V.

The regional adviser further said that participants are expected to come from official delegates, which are persons designated and sponsored by member states to represent and speak on their behalf.

While the observers will be made up of states that are, not members  of the Commission, intergovernmental organizations,  academic institutions and research centres, agencies of the United  Nations and non-governmental organizations, stakeholders in any substantive field (ICT), Geo-information and science and technology) within CODIST’s purview who are not official delegates are cordially invited to participate as  observers.

While exhibitors, he pointed out could come as persons, organizations, or corporate entities that have products, services, or information to exhibit and disseminate are invited to attend as exhibitors.

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