From 14 to 18 February 2022, stakeholders from Africa and Europe will come together to strengthen the partnerships between the two continents through a series of policy events and cultural performances in the margins of the 6th African Union – European Union Summit (17 & 18 February) to take place in Brussels.
The Africa-Europe Week aims to strengthen the links that connect people from both continents and will include the following events:
- 7th EU-Africa Business Forum
- Youth Track
- Civil Society and Local Authorities Forums
- Culture Track
Research and Innovation will also be part of the conversation. Indeed, the African Union and the European Union are working together in a close research and innovation partnership. The first two priorities are: Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) and Climate Change and Sustainable Energy (CCSE).
The two corresponding projects LEAP4FNSSA and LEAP-RE will be organising a session on ‘How can the FNSSA and the CCSE Partnerships contribute to building stronger value chains for sustainable growth and jobs in Africa and in the EU‘. The session will take place virtually, on Tuesday, 15 February from 13:30-15:30 CET.
The session will ignite dialogue on the role of the Partnerships in building stronger value chains for sustainable growth and jobs. The dialogue is critical for furthering discussions on systemic transformation of the African and European food and energy systems and for ensuring food, nutrition security and energy security and supply for future generations, with special emphasis on youth and women.
The role of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in the transformation the FNSSA and the Energy landscapes in Africa remains in the centre of the agenda in the AU-EU R&I Partnership. Structural transformation is required in Africa’s agricultural sector to reallocate economic activities from the lower-end of the FNSSA land and its energy sector, to the higher-end where more value is added which result in better economic returns and improved livelihoods. STI is seen as a conduit to stimulating this required paradigm shift.
A panel of experts will be convened to discuss how the FNSSA and the CCSE Partnerships could be long-term endeavours to utilize STI to improve food and energy systems, attract and include young people and women, and identify some of the challenges faced.
More information on the Africa–Europe Week >>
[Update] Presentations from the event:
- Transformation of Food and Energy systems for sustainability growth and job creation, Hans Jörg Lutzeyer, DG Research & Innovation, Healthy Planet Directorate, European Commission
- Delivering on the International Research Consortium as the long-term bi-regional Platform for FNSSA, Irene Annor-Frempong, LEAP4FNSSA Project coordinator, FARA
- Development and management of a long-term quadruple helix community comprising government agencies, academia, civil society organizations and the private sector for inclusive cooperation and stakeholder dialogue, Erick Tambo, United Nations University, Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS)
