Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my honor to address you at this inaugural Science, Technology, and Innovation in Africa Day, which is held in connection with the 2023 session of the Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs.

As the mid-point of 2030 fast approaches, we risk falling short on many of our shared global promises – including to eliminate poverty and hunger, empower women and girls, act against climate change and biodiversity loss, and ensure access to quality education, clean energy and health care.

We can still achieve the SDGs by their target year.  But this requires that we double down on our efforts, decisively break from “business as usual”, embrace transformation and launch much-needed structural reforms.   

Ladies and gentlemen,

The theme of today’s event “STI4SDGs – Levers, Priority Areas and Actionable Steps for Africa” conveys the complex challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

I look forward to today’s discussions that will bring together African scientists, diaspora, youth and many others to network, showcase, share their experiences, build strategic coalitions, and, wherever possible, set-in motion concrete actions to advance Africa’s STI4SDGs priorities.

I also welcome the STI for Africa Coalition, and the partnership of the Origin Initiative and the Alliance of Entrepreneurial Universities in Africa that will be launched later today.

Distinguished participants,

We need more resources and technology to drive the change we wish to see.

I urge you all to come up with concrete initiatives, proposals and partnerships that will help scale up ongoing efforts and establish new ones.

Let us collaborate across borders and disciplines to develop new solutions. I encourage you to leave this day thinking big, harnessing the spirit of ingenuity for a brighter future for all.

Only seven years remain to 2030. Now is the time to act.

I wish you a successful STI in Africa Day and look forward to having this important initiative rolled out to cover other regions in future STI Forums as well.

Thank you.