The Heads of State and Government directed the NEPAD Agency in 2016 to establish a system for obtaining expert contributions on the matters of technology development and acquisition and deployment for economic development. To this end, the AU established a ten-member African Union High-Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET) composed of eminent experts to advise the Union, its various organs, and Member States on how Africa should harness innovation and emerging technologies for socio-economic development. The APET in its advisory Think Tank role to Member States, provides an opportunity for the continent to leverage on current and emerging innovations and technologies that have high potential to transform Africa’s science base into a competitive advantage.

APET, as a pathfinder Think Tank and Strategic Initiative of AUDA-NEPAD, advises the AU and its Member States on harnessing emerging technologies for economic development. This includes but not limited to the following:

• Identification and prioritization of innovation and emerging technologies relevant to Africa, such as drones, gene drives, artificial intelligence, blockchain, etc.;

• Current and future trends in innovation and emerging technologies;

• The implications that may be associated with adoption and/or non-adoption of such innovation and technologies for regional integration and trade;

• Provision of scientific evidence and advice on maximizing benefits and reducing adverse effects from emerging technologies;

• The identification of priority areas that have the potential for regional research, development and innovation, including aspects of risk assessment, management, and communication;

• Enabling environment of policies for innovation and emerging technologies;

• Harmonization of the regulation of innovation and emerging technologies into a regional/continental regulatory regime for shared research, development and innovation and technology management (this may include ways and means of integrating regulatory measures in existing Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and related trade arrangements);

• Increased sensitization and knowledge on innovation and emerging technologies through publication and dissemination of knowledge products

• Scientific capacity that will be needed to ensure safe application and use of products derived from emerging technologies, including human resources for research, laboratory testing, safety evaluation, and enforcement;

• Strategic ways of building Africa’s scientific capacity for regionally oriented regulation and management of innovation echo system and emerging technologies; and

• Ways of improving cooperation with other regions of the world to effectively address trade, research and development and regulatory issues pertaining to innovation and emerging technologies;

The panel also makes recommendations on the nature of regional institutional arrangements that are required to promote and sustain common regulatory approaches to the application and use of, and propose a strategy and policy on innovation and emerging technologies.

Secretariat for the Panel and its Role

The High-Level Panel’s work is serviced by the AUDA-NEPAD and AU Commission as a joint Secretariat. The Secretariat provides a structure and an enabling environment in which the Panel’s deliberations take place. In addition, it is responsible for ensuring that institutional procedures and practices are followed throughout the work of the Panel, and that the work is on schedule and within budget. The Secretariat coordinates knowledge products of the Panel. It assists with compiling reports, including researching, writing, collating submission of experts, and ensuring consistent style and format. However, the conclusions and recommendations are those of the Panel members.

Consultation with the AU Member States

An individual African country or government may seek the advice of the Panel on a particular issue if such an issue has specific implications for regional cooperation. The Panel submits its report(s) to the Chairperson of the AU Commission for transmission to the AU Summit through its subsidiary bodies.

APET conducted a survey to ascertain emerging technologies of potential economic importance, and the panel identified and prioritized ten emerging technologies as priority areas of relevance for Africa’s socio-economic development.  These are: 1. Gene drives; 2. Microgrids; 3. Drones for precision agriculture; 4. Next-generation medicine; 5. Artificial intelligence;   6. Urban agriculture 7. Synthetic Biology (Gene Editing); 8. 3D printing; 9. Next-generation batteries; and 10. Water purification.

Of the ten technologies, the Panel has analysed the first set of three technologies viz; (i) Gene drives for control and elimination of malaria; (ii) Drones for increasing agricultural productivity; and (iii) Micro-grids for alleviating Africa energy insufficiency.  The outcomes of the analyses have been published into reports where recommendations contained therein were endorsed by the African Union Heads of State and Government at the January 2018 AU Summit. The reports were launched in Kigali on June 8, 2018, at the Africa Innovation Summit under the auspices of the African Union Chair, Rwanda. Additionally, the Panel is analysing four more technologies which are Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Next-generation Batteries and Gene Editing. Members of the Panel are also being called upon to present their findings and recommendations at several fora on the continent. 

Additionally, APET aims to strengthen the knowledge and capacity of African executives, senior officials, decision and policymakers, researchers and academia on innovation and emerging technologies. This is undertaken through the Calestous Juma Executive Dialogues (CJED), which consists of both a regional-based and national platforms for knowledge and experience sharing.  CJED aims at strengthening the capacity of senior policy and decision-makers to provide technical advice to governments in assessing and harnessing emerging technologies in their respective institutions and organisations. The Executive Dialogue further enables these senior policy and decision-makers to provide evidence-based policy choices for African leaders in making informed decisions in harnessing innovation and emerging technologies.

The role of APET is demand-driven and expanding in providing advice and guidance on technology policies, strategies, directions, and priorities to Member States to ensure effective and transparent decision-making related to the management and harnessing of emerging technologies in Africa. APET is enhancing its work for the next 5-10 years to enable the Panel to accommodate demands from Member States on the implementation of its recommendations, and also continue to analyse other innovation and emerging technologies that would boost socio-economic development of the continent.

As innovation and emerging technologies spread inexorably, APET seeks to provide expanded and continuous guidance and platforms for engaging AU Member States. The goal is to provide a set of tools for governments to interpret the current and potential role innovation and emerging technologies currently play in sustainable development on the African continent. APET also has an important role to play in strengthening the use of research evidence on innovation and emerging technologies and enhancing the ability of policy and decision-makers to make appropriate judgments about their relevance in achieving significant socio-economic benefits for the African continent. 

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Click here to read more about the Calestous Juma Executive Dialogue (CJED)

In 2019, AUDA-NEPAD and AAS, through the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA) platform, commenced work on the scientific priority setting for African countries to define the agenda for research and investments in R&D and innovation. The process involved engagement with a dedicated team of experts, researchers, policy, decision-makers, and stakeholders across various sectors. These select stakeholders identified key research priorities aligned with Africa's needs and challenges that hold significant potential for advancing sustainable development, economic growth, and the overall well-being of the African continent.

Priority areas identified include the following: Genomics and Precision Medicine; Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health; Climate Change; Food Security and Nutrition; Data and Biospecimen Governance; and Epidemic Preparedness, Gender and Science, Mental Health and the 4th Industrial Revolution.

The Africa Scientific Priority Setting Products, which are enclosed with this cover note, represent the culmination of an extensive collaborative effort involving AUDA-NEAPD and AAS, prominent African scientists, policy and decision-makers, and representatives from various sectors, including academia, industry, and civil society. These documents are a testament to AUDA-NEPAD’s commitment to fostering collaboration for scientific excellence, innovation, and knowledge-driven decision-making across Africa.

Key Highlights of the Africa Scientific Priority Setting Products

Scope and Relevance: The products encompass a wide range of scientific domains, from healthcare and agriculture to climate resilience and technological innovation. Each priority area has been carefully selected based on its relevance to addressing Africa's pressing development challenges and opportunities.

Evidence-Based Approach: The products are grounded in comprehensive literature reviews, extensive consultations with experts and rigorous data analysis. This ensures the recommendations are firmly rooted in empirical evidence and experts’ consensus.

Policy Implications: For each identified priority, the potential policy implications and actionable recommendations are highlighted. These insights are intended to guide policymakers, funding agencies, and research institutions in aligning their efforts with the identified priorities of African countries.

Stakeholder Engagement: Throughout the priority setting exercise, stakeholders from diverse backgrounds were actively engaged to ensure that the identified priorities reflected the needs and aspirations of the African people.

The Africa Scientific Priority Setting Products will serve as valuable resources for policy and decision-makers, researchers, funding organisations, and other stakeholders working to advance science, technology and innovation in Africa. AUDA-NEPAD hopes these products will inform decision-making, foster collaboration, and drive meaningful progress across the continent.

Climate change

AAS climate Change-Outcome report [DOWNLOAD]

Setting Priorities for Climate Change and Development in Africa-Policy Paper [DOWNLOAD]

What are Africa’s priorities for climate change Blog [DOWNLOAD]

Data and governance

Data and biospecimen governance in Africa - AAS Open Research Blog.  [DOWNLOAD]

Give African research participants more say in genomic data, say scientists  [DOWNLOAD]

Recommendations for Data and Biospecimen Governance in Africa - Policy Paper  [DOWNLOAD]

Epidemic Preparedness

COVID-19: Examining theories for Africa's low death rates - TheConversation [DOWNLOAD]

Prioritising Health Systems - Journal Publication  [DOWNLOAD]

Research and Development Goals for COVID-19 in Africa Report [DOWNLOAD]

Research and Development Priorities for COVID-19 in Africa - Policy Paper  [DOWNLOAD]

Food security and nutrition

Food Security and Nutrition Outcome Report  [DOWNLOAD]

Research priorities to achieve Africa’s food security and nutrition needs - AAS Open Research Blog [DOWNLOAD]

Fourth industrial revolution

Harnessing technology to respond to millennial SDGs  [DOWNLOAD]

Gender and science

Gender - Science Outcome Report [DOWNLOAD]

Women in STEM Report [DOWNLOAD]

Genomic Medicine

A Framework for the Implementation of Genomic Medicine for Public Health in Africa [DOWNLOAD]

Genomic medicine in Africa - What will it take? [DOWNLOAD]

Maternal and neonatal health

Setting research priorities to achieve quality maternal health care in Africa [DOWNLOAD]

Mental health

Mental health in Africa, the missing link [DOWNLOAD]