PROTOCOL ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION PREAMBLE We, the Heads of State or Government of: The Republic of Angola The Republic of Botswana The Democratic Republic of Congo The Kingdom of Lesotho The Republic of Madagascar The Republic of Malawi The Republic of Mauritius The Republic of Mozambique The Republic of Namibia The Republic of South Africa The Kingdom of Swaziland The United Republic of Tanzania The Republic of Zambia The Republic of Zimbabwe MOTIVATED by the objectives of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Common Agenda to achieve sustainable and equitable socio-economic growth and development in the Region and the eradication of poverty; MINDFUL of the need to secure, within the SADC Region, sustainable institutional and structural mechanisms to service joint regional programmes on science, technology and innovation; REALISING the crosscutting relevance of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in supporting all programmes that are meant to achieve sustainable and equitable socio-economic growth and eradication of poverty in the region through the implementation of the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP), the Africa Union Decisions and Declarations, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), Africa Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action (ASTCPA), the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation adopted at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD); DEVOTED to promote the development, transfer and mastery of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) pursuant to Article 5 of the SADC Treaty; EMPOWERED by sub-paragraph 3(e) of Article 21 of the SADC Treaty to cooperate in the area of science and technology; 2