Innovation & Africa’s Development : Scientific Researchers X-ray Challenges
AMINDEH Blaise ATABONG
#Economie www.cameroon-tribune.cm
They are concerting on solving the continent’s development problems at the 15th Grand Challenges annual meeting taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, October 28-30, 2019.
In furtherance of the Sustainable Development Goals and to deliver on the continent’s goal for inclusive and sustainable growth by 2063, African scientific researchers and innovators, as well as global partners, are meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
They are taking part in the 15th Grand Challenges annual meeting, October 28-30, 2019, which aims to speed up the translation of innovations into concrete ground actions to address the continent’s pressing needs. The participants are seeking to build partnerships to leverage the enormous capacities of researchers on the continent.
Cameroonian-born Prof. Sarah Mbi Enow Anyang Agbor, African Union Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology, called on researchers to take their research findings out from the shelves for the benefit of communities.
“But without funding, researchers can’t roll out their innovations to help needy communities. Our researchers don’t have the money.” Prof. Sarah suggested that researchers should get into tripartite collaboration involving technology transfer centers that will connect researchers to private investors.
For three days, African researchers exchanged notes on their work, learned about cutting-edge advances in the field, and buillt collaborations with other investigators and organisations, with emphasis on the importance of scientific collaborations in improving lives and creating sustainable economic growth.
The meeting brought together innovators from across the Grand Challenges family including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the African Academy of Sciences-Grand Challenges Africa, and Grand Challenges from Ethiopia, South Africa, Brazil, India, Canada and USAID.
Launched in 2003, Grand Challenges is a family of grant initiatives designed to foster innovation to solve key global health and development problems.