A critical external review of ICSU’s former Committee on Science and Technology for Developing Countries (COSTED) was published in 2002. This included a number of key recommendations including the abolition of the existing committee and the establishment of four new Regional Offices and a Policy Committee on Developing Countries (PCDC) that would provide advice to the ICSU Executive Board (EB). All of these recommendations were endorsed by the 27th General Assembly (GA) in September 2002.

The Regional Offices are to be located in Africa, the Arab Region, Asia and Latin America & the Caribbean. Their goal is two-fold. Firstly they should enhance participation of scientists and scientific organizations from the region in ICSU’s research and policy activities. Secondly, they should enable ICSU to play a more effective role in strengthening science within the context of regional priorities and building capacity through South-South and North-South collaboration.

Regional Offices

• Asia and the Pacific
• Latin America and the Caribbean
• Africa

Regional Committees

• Latin America and the Caribbean
• Asia and the Pacific
• Africa

Background

• COSTED Review
• The role of ICSU's Regional Offices