Driving Africa’s STI future

Exciting developments in African Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) emerged from the recent gathering of African Heads of Research Councils (HORCs) in Accra, Ghana.

Strengthening continental collaboration and aligning efforts with the STISA-2034 strategy was the focus of the gathering.

African Centre for Technology Studies led and coordinated that assignment on behalf of the SGCI.

The SGCs came up with a Communique and here are the key takeaways:

Strategic Collaboration:

African HORCs are committed to leveraging the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) platform for enhanced regional cooperation.

Emphasis on robust intra-African partnerships across research, academia, and industry.

SGCI’s Crucial Role:

Recognition of SGCI as a vital partner and the leading platform for RSTI ecosystem development.

Call to designate SGCI as a special regional implementation partner for STISA-2034.

Investment & Growth:

There is an urgent need to boost investment in priority areas like health, education, climate change, and agriculture.

Commitment to increasing national GERD to at least 1 per cent of GDP and operationalizing the ASTIF.

Accra Declaration Highlights:

• Alignment of national policies with STISA-2034.
• Emphasis on public-private partnerships, gender equality, and youth inclusion.
• A focus on funding mechanisms, governance improvements, and private sector engagement.

This communiqué signifies a strong commitment to advancing Africa’s STI agenda through strategic partnerships, increased funding, and robust governance.

It’s a call to action for stakeholders across the continent to collaborate and drive innovation.

Below are the downloadable resources from this event

::: Accra SGCI STISA 2034 Communique

::: Accra Workshop Report