Referencing the AU's designation of 2024 as the Year of Education, EU Ambassador Javier Niño Pérez in his remarks during the opening session reiterated that the European Union stands resolutely behind many joint initiatives aimed at bolstering educational and innovative advancements throughout Africa. This collective commitment underscores the shared vision of both the AU and the EU in fostering a continent where education, research and innovation serve as a cornerstone for progress and prosperity.

The 6th Africa Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Forum (ARSTIF) convened a session on April 22, 2024, titled "Partnerships in Action: Addressing Funding Gaps to Achieve the AU-EU Innovation Agenda". Hosted jointly by the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU), the event brought together an array of stakeholders, from government officials to private sector representatives, to examine strategies for mobilizing resources and overcoming funding challenges for the implementation of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda. The session was organised around three panels dedicated to (i) the role STI for SDGs roadmaps for mobilising and guiding STI investments towards the most pressing SDGs; (ii) the access to finance by successful innovators and (iii) the identification of bankable and truly innovative projects by innovation funders.

Opening the session, Laurent Bochereau, EU Delegation to the African Union, mentioned the session dedicated to the AU-EU Innovation Agenda at the EU Research and Innovation Days during which the living dashboard of on-going programmes and initiatives relevant to the Innovation Agenda was made public. Tidiane Ouattara, Head of Science, Technology, and Space at the African Union Commission, advocated for a comprehensive approach, urging policymakers and stakeholders to collaborate in formulating integrated strategies such as STISA (Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa) while also stressing the importance of investment in STI.

Angela Sarcina of the European Commission Joint Research Centre introduced STI for SDGs roadmaps, aiding six African nations in aligning national strategies with SDGs. Lidia Arthur Brito, UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences emphasized UNESCO's role in roadmaps’ development, which should be expanded in the context of the UN decade on Science for Sustainable Development (2025-2033). Representatives from Ghana, Rwanda, and the Seychelles underscored the tangible impact of these roadmaps in mobilizing resources and fostering collaboration across sectors.

The session also shed light on initiatives facilitating access to finance for innovators, with young entrepreneurs sharing their experiences and insights. The event concluded with a call to action, urging stakeholders to translate discussions into concrete initiatives and collaborations.

Registration for the upcoming discussion on the virtual workshop series, "Implementing the AU-EU Innovation Agenda," focusing on Access to Finance, scheduled for May 29, 2024, is now open for further engagement and participation.