The Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policy reviews developed by UNCTAD aim to contribute to the development of national STI capacities so that national STI plans and programmes effectively support the implementation of inclusive and sustainable development strategies by promoting growth and productive diversification and competitiveness as well as addressing priority social and environmental problems.
This STI Policy Review was prepared by UNCTAD at the request of the Ministry of Higher Education of Zambia. The Review has three fundamental goals. Its first goal is to offer Zambia an assessment of activities and
institutions that make up its innovation ecosystem. The second goal is to draw attention to important socio-economic development questions for Zambia. Special attention has been placed on four such questions: gender, food, mining and digital transformation. The third goal is to provide recommendations for strengthening STI policy and propose measures that may improve national technological capacities and encourage innovation.
During UNCTAD's missions to Zambia in 2019 and 2020, the STI Policy Review team held interviews and meetings with more than seventy representatives of government agencies, research institutes, universities, chambers of commerce and businesses. The Review has been informed by quantitative data acquired from national and international sources.
