During the next few days, the beneficiaries of all OACPS R&I-financed actions will share their experiences and knowledge on R&I projects and policies.
Over 60 participants, representatives of a wide range of African, Caribbean and Pacific Research and Innovation stakeholders (academia, research centres, regional and national authorities/agencies in charge of R&I, the private sector, and civil society organisations) attended this morning the opening ceremony of this event (13-15 February 2023).
In his welcome speech, Mr Ibrahim Norbert Richard, Assistant Secretary General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), underlined that this event provides a unique opportunity to bring together the main players in the research and innovation ecosystem.
“The example of the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that important challenges can be quickly overcome when all actors work together. We strongly believe in the virtues of collective intelligence and inclusive innovation processes to accelerate the uptake of research and innovation products and services by society and to find sustainable solutions to the challenges we face.”
(On the left and on the right of the photo, Mr Ibrahim Norbert Richard and Mrs Aya Kasasa from the OACPS Secretariat and in the modelé Mr Sers from the European Union)
Speaking on behalf of the European Union, which is funding this research and innovation cooperation programme through a long-standing partnership with the OACPS, Mr Jean-Michel Sers, Policy Officer from the European Commission’s DG INTPA, also highlighted the interest of “creating more connected and efficient innovation ecosystems to support the scaling of companies, encourage innovation and stimulate cooperation among national, regional and local innovation actors.”
Following these introductory remarks, the recipients of OACPS R&I-financed actions – twelve ACP Innovation Fund projects and seven ACP countries that benefitted from a Policy Support Facility service -presented their various activities and results, enabling the participants to get a clearer picture of the OACPS R&I Programme as a whole.
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This first Stakeholders’ Exchange Meeting promotes an active R&I community among the recipients of the OACPS R&I Programme actions. Working groups on a variety of topical issues will encourage the exchange of good practices, results and experiences, and strengthen networking and potential collaborations.
The OACPS Research and Innovation Programme, implemented by the OACPS Secretariat with financial support from the European Union, contributes to unlock innovation in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, through:
- An Innovation Fund to foster a conducive R&I environment;
- A Policy Support Facility to enhance the quality and efficiency of R&I systems;
- An interactive Web Portal to cross-fertilise knowledge and experiences
