Africa must bridge technological gap, step up dialogue around innovation: Experts

Addis Ababa, February 28, 2023 (FBC) – ECA Senior Environmental Affairs Officer, Linus Mofor urged Africa to bridge its technological gaps by initiating a conversation between countries in the priority areas of intervention and strengthening scientific and technological research.

“We also need to consider how we finance innovation: while we need to challenge African governments to invest themselves, we also need to keep in mind that few governments have financial scaling capacity. Then again, energy access can increase incomes by up to 39%”, said ECA Director for Technology, Climate Change and Natural Resources Management, Jean Paul Adam.

Held in Niamey on 26-27 February 2023 ahead of the 9th African Forum on Sustainable Development, the Fifth African Science, Technology and Innovation Forum was jointly organized by ECA, UNESCO, the African Union Commission and the Department of Science and Innovation of South Africa.

Discussions aimed to consider how science, technology and innovation can support African efforts to achieve an inclusive and green recovery from multiple crises and the integrated and full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063.