OAPI – Establishment of collaborative work platforms

A ceremony to launch the third series of round tables on the establishment of collaborative work platforms between universities and research centers in OAPI member states was held on 16 June 2022. The project aims to identify specific avenues and themes for the creation and improvement of national innovation frameworks between the private and research sectors in OAPI member states and is a collaboration between the AfrIPI project (Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation Project in Africa) and the European Patent Office (EPO).

Based on the analysis report prepared by Professor Barthelemy Nyasse in the first part of the project on the member states’ innovation ecosystem, the round table discussions will be directed at structuring, financing and implementation of the platforms. The EPO shares its experience on innovation policies with the member states, providing a review of best practices from technology transfer in Europe.

The first-round table was held on 21 April 2022 with Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Togo and the second-round table was held on 2 June 2022 with Congo, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Comoros and Central African Republic. The third and final round table will be held with Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Niger and Mauritania.

The output of the three round tables will be presented in a proposal for a collaborative work platform on 13 September 2022, which is celebrated as the African Day of Technology and Intellectual Property.

Source : Appui à la recherche et à l’innovation : l’OAPI réitère son soutien aux états membres