Kigali-
The 2018 African Innovation Summit is one of the really rare, yet breath-taking business gatherings worth checking out.
Taking place at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda from June 6 to 8, this summit brings together over 50 outstanding innovators from 44 African countries to tap into a unique opportunity of engaging stakeholders in discussing potential solutions to some of the blockages that are preventing solutions from going to scale.
The AIS brings together Innovators, Investors and the public
These, whose works are exhibited at respective stalls within the Kigali Convention Center each hold something unique for not only this event, but for Africa’s development through locally sought initiatives.
Dr.Olugbenga Adesida, Co-Director of AIS, indicated that “AIS provides more than a robust and dynamic platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue, but rather a catalyst for “Made in Africa” innovations that are already addressing the challenges faced on the continent, but need assistance to take root and scale across the continent.”
From Agriculture, health, education, technology to processing and other innovative ideas, each stall presents a unique face and projection of great, yet commendable initiatives.
Rwanda’s Minister of Information, Technology and Communications being guided by one of the Innovators
While addressing exhibitors and some guests during the launch of the summit yesterday, Hon.Jean de Dieu Rurangirwa, Rwanda’s Minister of Information, Technology and Communications affirmed how this summit brings together innovators and investors, with hope that the three days of connecting and engaging, will come up with solutions that are being sought.
“With innovations, Africa is now finding solutions to real African development,” explained Hon. Rurangirwa
Hon.Jean de Dieu Rurangirwa, Rwanda’s Minister of Information, Technology and Communications gives a speech
The focus of AIS 2018 will include energy access, water, health, food security and climate change. AIS II will be a three-day event and the program will include five plenary sessions to introduce major thematic issues followed by a series of facilitated workshops, which will take place in focused work groups to deepen the dialogue and to seek solutions to address the key challenges facing African countries.
One of the Innovators
Each workshop will focus on a specific theme with three to four panelists and will be led by a facilitator. The aims of the discussions are to seek solutions, develop an agenda and mobilize the people and stakeholders for collective action going forward. The AIS 2018 will include activities before, during and after the Summit.
One of the sessions with an Innovator
The AIS is an Africa-wide and home grown initiative aimed at harnessing the innovation potential of the continent.
One of the Participants
Aimed at harnessing the innovation potential of the continent, the AIS is to further mobilize especially those with the ‘power to act’, including investors, the people with the ideas, the policy makers, the researchers and academics, the business community, the youth, as well as innovators and thinkers into a coalition for collective action to promote and build an enabling environment for innovation in Africa.
One of the Innovators
The AIS platform includes regular summits to promote dialogue, facilitate exchange of best practices among stakeholders and African countries, showcase what is happening on the continent, and share lessons of experience.
