WHAT: 3rd Calestous Juma Executive Dialogue

DATE: 29 - 30 September 2020

TIME: 10:00 am - 2:30 pm (GMT) | 12:00 noon - 4:30pm (SAT/Johannesburg/Harare) daily

WHERE (Virtual - Zoom): https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJctdu2rqT4jEtJ4lQzeh7gDnk6GSKgOZKw4 

BACKGROUND: The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) through its Calestous Juma Executive Dialogue on Innovation and Emerging Technologies (CJED) invites media to a two-day virtual consultation.

The Calestous Juma Executive Dialogues was established by AUDA-NEPAD and the African Union Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET) in honour of the late Prof. Calestous Juma, an eminent Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) scholar and co-chair of the African Union Panel on Emerging Technologies.

APET was established by the African Heads of State and Government at the AU General Assembly Summit of July 2016 through AU decision (Assembly/AU/10(XXIV) requesting AUDA-NEPAD (the then NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, NPCA). Its main objective is to support AU Member States in harnessing innovation and emerging technologies through increased research in addressing societal challenges. 

The CJED provides a platform through which African executives, senior officials, decision and policymakers, researchers, academia and private sector share knowledge, national experiences, best practices and lessons learned on innovation and emerging technologies within various development sub-sectors.  Through this process the capacity and knowledge of AU Member States is strengthened.

Experience sharing is the main delivery model of the CJED project. Participants share knowledge on country and regional experiences from best practices to options and challenges in adopting and implementing innovation and emerging technologies. 

During the first day of the executive dialogue, participants will be provided with an overview of the African Union political authorisation on science, innovation and emerging technologies in AU Agenda 2063. Participants will also be introduced to the work of AU High Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET) including some of the technologies recommended for Africa’s socio-economic development.  Delegates will further discuss the use and regulation of emerging technologies in disease control, such as malaria, within the science, technology and innovation landscape in Africa. 

The second day of the dialogue will focus on using emerging technologies and innovation addressing the impact of COVID 19 on various development sub-sectors of African economies including coordination and implementation strategies related to policy and programming, education, youth, gender and livelihoods.  

The executive dialogue will also include experience sharing by African innovators. The presenters will discuss the journey, challenges and benefits of innovating and contributing to the innovation ecosystem within the African context. The purpose is to enable delegates to gain knowledge on best practices that can be replicated in their respective countries to inform policy and programmes

Expected participants include senior executives, policy and decision-makers, senior executives, youth, civil societies and academia, experts and relevant stakeholders who are influencers on the continent. These will include permanent secretaries, vice-chancellors, directors-general, chief directors and national directors of government ministries, parliamentarians, CEOs, researchers, biosafety and health regulators and innovators as well as members of relevant organizations, agencies or stakeholder groups.

For information and interview requests contact:

Ms Mwanja Ng’anjo

Ag. Head of Communications

Communication Unit

AUDA-NEPAD

Tel. +27 11 256 3582

e-mail: Mwanjan@nepad.org

Dr. Justina Dugbazah

Senior Programme Officer

Education and Social Development & Ag. Coordinator AU Panel on Emerging Technologies

AUDA-NEPAD

e-mail: JustinaD@nepad.org

Ms. Barbara Glover

Programme Officer

African Union Panel on Emerging Technologies

AUDA-NEPAD

e-mail: BarbaraG@nepad.org