Transforming Africa with new technologies – New information in Africa

A Dialogue between senior experts on the theme “Science, Technology and Innovation and the transformation agenda of Africa

Making profitable new technologies for the transformation of Africa”, was held in Abuja, Nigeria

Hosted by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the objective of the dialogue was to bring together decision makers high-level experts in technology and innovation from academia, the private and public sectors, the international development community, other influential people (inside and outside Africa), and contractors to examine all the directions in which science, technology and innovation can be deployed to support and accelerate the transformation agenda of Africa and contribute to the agreed priorities of society.

The main objectives:

1. Highlight the main problems that hinder the development, transfer and diffusion of technology in Africa; and identify actions in the short term, medium term and long term to address these issues
2. Provide a better understanding of the ways in which new technologies and innovation can actually transform African economies, while identifying obstacles to the exploitation of these technologies and innovation for the development of Africa
3. Facilitate dialogue between African policy makers, researchers and top academic institutions, the private sector and the parties stakeholders working on TSI on the ways and means to accelerate the development and dissemination of technologies in Africa
4. Build lasting partnerships among participants in order to advance the development of policies STI in Africa in general and promote the application of the real technology to meet the multiple challenges of Africa
5. Propose a set of measures / recommendations to guide and inform the future work program ECA

were present, senior politicians, senior technology and innovation from academia, the private and public sector experts, the international development community and other influential personalities from Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, Togo, Ethiopia, Ireland, Uganda, Gambia, Somalia, Switzerland, Tanzania, and Zambia.

Thierry Barbaut