The first R&I Ministerial Meeting of the AU-EU High-Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation (HLPD on STI) agreed to focus on cooperation efforts in four priority areas, namely: Public Health, Green transition, Innovation & Technology, and Capacities for Science. Ministers also agreed to start developing a joint AU-EU Innovation Agenda.
Additionally, an open consultation was launched to seek input and feedback from citizens on the objectives and proposed actions of the Innovation Agenda.
The working document [.pdf | 2,1 MB] of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda (IA) is now accessible online on the AU-EU HLPD webpage.
A copy of the presentation on the IA is also available on the web page; the presentation was delivered by Mr Lukovi Seke and Mr Jens Hoegel during the last HLPD meeting and the report on the “mapping” of projects pertaining to the EU-AU R&I partnership on FNSSA, aiming to identify the most promising research projects from a socio-economic development and innovation standpoint and to document the specific needs that should be addressed for such projects to turn into tangible business and development opportunities.
The main outcome of the mapping analysis conducted on the FNSSA Partnership Projects is also included in Annex 3 of the working document of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda, as a “pilot reference” for this joint Agenda.
The public consultation on the working document of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda was launched during the online workshop “The AU-EU Innovation Agenda for building stronger value chains for sustainable growth and decent jobs”, which took place on February 14th, on the first day of the 7th EU-Africa Business Forum (EABF22).
The working document of the Innovation Agenda is used as the basis for the public consultation, the final version of the Innovation Agenda is only expected to be approved during next year.
The consultation will remain open until May 13th, 2022.
→ Check out the promotional video on the AU-EU Innovation Agenda, in which two African female entrepreneurs (Chisom and Hadiyyat) expressed their views and hopes on this matter. [via EU Science & Innovation | YouTube Channel]