Central Africa: a workshop to structure a regional research and innovation hub

Faced with common challenges, the countries of Central Africa are joining forces to build a more integrated and efficient regional scientific area.

On July 18, 2025, Cameroon's Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation (MINRESI) organized a workshop in Yaoundé to prefigure the Central African Research and Innovation Hub. This initiative is part of a drive to structure a coherent, interconnected regional scientific space at the service of sustainable development.

Representatives from Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic and Chad took part in the proceedings, alongside financial and technical partners such as the French Embassy and AUF.

The workshop was structured around several key points:

• Identification of regional scientific priorities;
• Sharing cooperation experiences;
• The formulation of concrete proposals for the establishment of an integrated hub;
• A round-table discussion on the political and financial challenges of supporting research.

The participative method adopted enabled strong ideas to emerge concerning the pooling of resources, the circulation of knowledge and enhanced scientific cooperation. A decisive step towards more visible, better-funded regional research that is more firmly rooted in local needs.

Source: www.auf.org/