Second Stakeholders' Conference "Steps to Innovation"

April 24th to April 25th in Dakar, Sénégal. The second CAAST-Net Stakeholders' Conference on Africa-Europe S&T Cooperation was hosted by the Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur, des Universités et des Centres Universitaires Régionaux et de la Recherche Scientifique (Ministry of Higher Education and Regional Academic Centres and Scientific Research).

The purpose of the CAAST.Net Stakeholders' conferences was to support science and technology (S&T) policy engagements between Europe and Africa by facilitating a stakeholder dialogue around policy topics of mutual interest that are considered important for the enhancement of S&T collaboration between Africa and Europe. 

Concurrent conference workshops took place on promoting industry-academia relationships and entrepreneurship; commercialisation of different sources of knowledge; protecting knowledge and innovations; and securing financing to foster innovation projects.

Approximately one hundred experts and stakeholders from Europe and Africa attended the conference. Participants included policy stakeholders, academics and research scientists, implementing governmental agencies, civil society and international organisations, among others.


Le ministre de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche, porte-parole du gouvernement, Serigne Mbaye Thiam, présidait l’ouverture de la 2-ème Conférence des parties prenantes du Réseau pour la coordination et l’avancement de la coopération scientifique et technologique entre l’Afrique sub-saharienne et l’Union européenne (CAAST-NET)