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Ph:DR: ECA supports Innovation Prize to inspire African youth to pursue entrepreneurship
The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA) in partnership with the fifth Summit on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for African Youth and AfriLabs organized a side event on August 17 on the sidelines of the said fifth Summit which was held in Lusaka.
The side event aimed to present the six winners of the African Youth Innovation Prize to a target audience of public and private actors with the aim of sharing their experiences and journeys in innovation with other young Africans and to inspire African youth to engage in high-growth innovation and entrepreneurship impacting African societies and enabling the achievement of the SDGs.
Mme Bolaky Bineswaree, Economist at ECA, indicated that the said competition for African youth is an expected result of the project of the 13th tranche of the United Nations Development Account (UNDA) titled, “Innovative Approaches for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to Promote Trade and Inclusive Industrialization in Southern Africa in the Post-COVID Context”. She further indicated that the competition is a collaboration between BSR-AA, Afrilabs and the organizers of the Summit and thanked the members of the jury for their dedication, including the Embassy of Finland in Zambia.
The prize was open to anyone of African nationality between the ages of 18 and 35 who has designed an innovative product or process aimed at solving a specific development challenge for society, and having a real impact on the achievement of the SDGs.
About ECA
Created in 1958 by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, ECA is one of the five regional commissions of the Institution and has the mandate to support the economic and social development of its member States, to encourage regional integration and promote international cooperation for Africa’s development.
Comprised of 54 member states, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) plays a dual role as a regional body of the United Nations (UN) and as an integral part of the regional institutional landscape in Africa.
