Science and technology should be used to eradicate poverty, achieve food security, fight diseases, increase the pace of industrialization and reverse the trend of environmental degradation, President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal has said. He was opening the Second African Science Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology (AMCOST) in Dakar.

"Scientific advances and technological innovation are the driving forces for proper economic growth and sustainable development of every nation as well as the advancement of the continent," he told the four-day conference being attended by African Science Ministers and their experts and organized by the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the African Union (AU).

Participants are looking at the introduction of Africa's Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action and discussing its approval and implementation.

President Wade noted that Africa was lagging behind in science and technology and that there was the need for the continent to speedily catch up with the developed world.

"We should not just be mere users of information and technology but inventors as the European countries as well", he suggested.

He said it had become critical for Africa to develop its human resource in science and technology for the long-term through capacity building.

He said the continent is suffering from the sickness of backwardness because science and technology is not applied, "and we cannot be developed as the developed countries if we do not apply science and technology".

The Senegalese President called for a coordinated approach to ensure that African countries increase benefits from common programmes aimed at building capacity in the various key areas.

President Wade called on African science ministers to seek innovative measures to stimulate investments in research development and also attract private sector investment.

Dr Botluale Tema, a representative of the Africa Union, pointed out the need for Africans to generate and use internal funds for their programmes and stop being dependent on external funds.