Innovate to Elevate: Unveiling the Future at EAC's STI Conference

Innovate to Elevate: Unveiling the Future at EAC's STI Conference

 By Maximilla WAFULA & Patrick KIMANZI 

The County Diary News .

Nairobi, March 6, 2024 - The vibrant city of Nairobi is abuzz with intellectual fervor as the 3rd EAC Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Conference kicks off today. Hosted collaboratively by EASTECO and IUCEA, this event, endorsed by the East African Community (EAC), seeks to foster a crossroads of ideas and collaboration among diverse stakeholders.

Under the theme, "Accelerating development and diffusion of Science, Technology and Innovation solutions for a green, inclusive, and resilient East Africa," the conference builds on the success of its predecessors in Kampala and Bujumbura. Mr. Machogu, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Education, unveiled ambitious plans for national polytechnics in each of the 47 counties, emphasizing a commitment to allocate 2% of the 2024 education budget to research.

Dr. Sylvance Okoth, Executive Secretary of EASTECO, envisions the conference as a pivotal forum for exchanging scientific information, creating new linkages, and fostering collaboration. Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona, IUCEA Executive Secretary, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the transformative role of research, development, and innovation in solving collective challenges.

Notable dignitaries, including Dr. Walter Oyawa and Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona, inaugurated the event, setting the stage for the unveiling of the EASTECO Regional STI Policy and Intellectual Property Policy. This monumental meeting unites policy makers, industry players, academicians, researchers, innovators, students, and development partners in a hybrid format, combining face-to-face and virtual platforms.

The comprehensive agenda includes high-level policy dialogues, plenary sessions, an exhibition, and a ministerial session. Specialized sessions, responding to partner requests, encompass a youth engagement session on future technologies and an entrepreneurship promotion session through education, research, and development. As the conference unfolds, it promises to be a catalyst for transformative innovation, propelling East Africa into a greener, more inclusive, and resilient future.