Executive Director of the African Academy of Sciences, Honourable Prof Kene Gassama, Senegal, distinguished Permanent Secretaries, representatives from the AFORNET board, directors and professors, scientists, Ladies and gentlemen,
Let me start by mentioning that half of Sweden is covered by forests and sector of great importance in my country. In an international perspective forests are viewed as an important natural resource for food, fibre and fuel.
Since the beginning of the 90´s Sweden has supported forestry research and capacity building in a pan-African context. Since 1998, Swedish funds have been allocated to AFORNET – the African Forest Research Network, in an agreement with AAS – the African Academy of Sciences in Nairobi, Kenya.
AFORNET has been functioning as a regional research council and allocating research grants of two types; to individual scientists as well as to research teams composed of scientists from different countries and with an interdisciplinary approach.
The research supported has mainly focused on indigenous trees and rural development – trees for fuel-wood, for food (from leaves, pods and fruits), for medical purposes and also for building purposes.
The Swedish support was scientifically evaluated in 2007. The evaluation characterized AFORNET as a “genuine African network” and a “highly relevant organization”. It was considered that AFORNET had raised the profile of forestry research in Africa, and that it had addressed African problems – identified and formulated by African scientists, seldom funded by other donors or national governments.
Throughout the years, approximately 220 young scientists from 16 countries have been awarded grants, contributing to a number of MSc- and PhD-degrees. Under the thematic research programme, 38 projects covering 22 countries have been funded within five thematic areas – natural forest management and biodiversity conservation, community-based forestry, reforestation of degraded lands, socio-economic issues and finally non-timber forest products. More than 230 papers have been published in various scientific journals.
Distinguished participants,
from a scientific point of view, Sweden agrees to a large extent with the conclusions in the evaluation – AFORNET has been a scientifically successful pan-African initiative, building capacity in forestry research.
However, there have been some administrative problems during recent years. To establish and run a programme like this in approximately 30 countries is not an easy task. These governance problems, led to, as you are aware of, Sweden deciding to phase out the support.
However, in the phasing out of our support we would like to contribute to a positive image of AFORNET as a scientifically successful initiative as well as to a discussion on the future.
The objective of this conference is twofold: to present and discuss a few selected success stories and lessons learnt as well as a discussion on future possible institutional arrangements regarding forestry research in Africa.
The Swedish portfolio regarding support to regional research in Africa is very much focused on support to research councils, both in natural as well as social sciences. This is very much in line with the “Strategy for Sida´s support to research cooperation 2010-2014”, recently approved by the Government of Sweden.
In our opinion, research councils increase African ownership – as research agenda and priorities are set in Africa, and – if on a regional basis as compared to a national basis, improves quality assurance in the assessment process of research applications.
In addition to already ongoing support, Sweden actively follows the discussions on the establishment of an East African Community Science and Technology Research Council.
The Swedish support to the current AFORNET structure will, as mentioned earlier, soon come to an end. However, we still find capacity building and research in forestry of high importance, especially with the role of forests in the mitigation and adaptation of the effects of climate change.
It is a great honour for Sweden to sponsor this important conference. It is s quite obvious that forestry research is also very high on the African agenda - this conference has attracted a very distinguished audience including several Cabinet Ministers.
The remaining Swedish funds within AFORNET after this conference will be utilized to continue the process of formulating the strategic direction for future regional forestry research in Africa, including a discussion on the legal status and the governance structure of a future organization.
This process could preferably link the need for continued support to research with development initiatives within the forestry sector, as well as it could include Swedish universities as well as the Swedish resource base in forestry. A recommendation would be to initiate contacts with new potential donors as soon as possible.
With these words, distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen, I wish this AAS/AFORNET conference all success in your deliberations.
Thank you!