This session was split into two parts.

 

In part 1, several case studies conducted by the community of practice were presented: The first case study focused on reverse innovation and was presented by the AEIP team. It discussed how technologies and innovation in Europe needs to be tailored to the needs in Africa in order to be revelant. A good practice example was provided of a collaboration between a German and a Nigerian partner in public health. Reverse innovation means that the technolgoies and innovations underlying final products are more important when trying to adapt these to new markets. It was recommended that more networking space for private sectors actors from both continents were created, that resilitent R&I systems and innovation-friendly environments should be promoted and that African coutries invest in R&I systems.

 

The second case study focused on traditional knowledge production. The premise of the case study is that the intellectual property system was not developed to serve the needs of local communities and indigenous people in African countries for the protection of inter-generational communal knowledge. Traditional knowledge protection can empower local communities. The example of the Swakopmund Protocol ARIPO was used that was developed together with the World Intellectual Property Organisation and affirms the principle that local and traditional communities are the beneficiaries and rightful holders of their traditional knowledge and offers according legal protection. The authors of the case study recommend that the value of traditional knowledge protection should be recognised more widely in Africa, that more support should be given to regional organisations such as ARIPO and OAPI and that the EU should also support these institutions in harmonising national frameworks and the development of a database of such knowledge. Moreover, the EU could include origin rules in their own patent frameworks.

 

In part 2, existing opportunities with AEIP partners were presented and Enrich in Africa introduced their activities relevant for TTOs. The existing opportunities include the SAIRA open innovation platform provided by WAITRO, the ASTP network and the SARIMA network as well as Horizon calls. EiA also introduced its activities, including a champion’s network of tech hubs and TTOs and the capacity-upgrading and networking support they will provide to these.

 

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