Boosting research and innovation in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries
9 November 2020
The UN World Science Day for Peace and Development (10 November 2020) gives us a prime opportunity to highlight the OACPS Research and Innovation Programme
Celebrated every 10 November, this international day reminds us how critical science is to address pressing societal challenges and how Research and Innovation (R&I) play a central cross-cutting role in achieving nearly all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UN Agenda 2030). They can accelerate green transition, create new jobs and businesses, and help reduce poverty. They are instrumental to the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the African Union Agenda 2063 ‘The Africa we want’, ‘The Samoa pathway’, and other international and regional policy frameworks.
A growing number of African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries are incorporating research and innovation in their national development agendas, but innovation performance remains hindered by inadequate policies and skills development mechanisms.
The OACPS Research and Innovation Programme aims to strengthen Research and Innovation capacity in ACP countries, in order to unlock their innovation potential and support their transition into knowledge-based economies for sustainable development.
Implemented by the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and funded by the European Union, the Programme is composed of three components:
- An Innovation Fund to foster a conducive R&I environment
- A Policy Support Facility to enhance the quality and efficiency of R&I systems
- A web portal to cross-fertilize knowledge and experiences among key stakeholders
Following a Call for Proposals which was published in October 2019 , the Innovation Fund will provide financial support to consortia to create an enabling and inclusive environment for research and innovation in ACP countries. Early next year, the OACPS Secretariat will publish a list of the recipients to which grants will be awarded.
The Policy Support Facility will be launched soon, to support ACP countries in enhancing the quality and the efficiency of their R&I policy systems, by addressing bottlenecks in the policy design and implementation and strengthening effective and inclusive innovation eco-systems.
The web portal of the OACPS R&I Programme will soon be operational to enable R&I professionals from ACP countries to meet, network, and exchange information and best practices.
For more information, follow our OACPS R&I Programme on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.