<p id="yui_3_2_0_4_1310112244665114"></p><font face="Arial" size="2">----- Forwarded Message -----<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> Afework Temtime <<a href="mailto:atemtime@uneca.org">atemtime@uneca.org</a>><br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> aisi-l <<a href="mailto:aisi-l@dgroups.org">aisi-l@dgroups.org</a>><br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Friday, July 8, 2011 10:52 AM<br><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> [aisi-l] ECA and AIF launch prestigious February 2012 African Innovation Prize<br>
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<br><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><b>ECA and AIF launch prestigious
February 2012 African Innovation Prize</b></font><font size="3"> </font>
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The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African
Innovation Foundation (AIF) are delighted to announce the African Innovation
Prize (AIP) to be awarded for the first time in February 2012. This prestigious
and well-endowed award aims at encouraging innovations that contribute
to sustainable development in Africa. </font><font size="3"><br>
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With this award, AIF and UNECA acknowledge, support and encourage innovators
and entrepreneurs- the group of stakeholders who till now have been neither
considered nor benefited under Africa’s development cooperation agenda.</font><font size="3">
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"Innovation is a combination of identifying problems, and finding
groundbreaking implementable solutions; we hope the prizes will contribute
to tapping into the ingenuity of Africans to solve Africa’s problems,”
says the ECA Executive Secretary and Under-Secretary General, Mr. Abdoulie
Janneh. </font><font size="3"> <br>
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He adds: “Currently, ideas, innovation and knowledge are what is driving
the world, and transforming economies. It is therefore fitting and
appropriate that the African Innovation Prize is targeting a unique group
of stakeholders - innovators and inventors in the area of ICTs, Green Technologies
and Health & Food Security.”</font><font size="3"> <br>
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“The AIF is very proud of the cooperation with ECA and expects numerous
innovation projects to compete for the prize. There is so much untapped
talent on this continent,” adds Mr. Walter Fust, Chairman of the AIF.</font><font size="3">
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The amount allocated towards the winners for the selected innovators and
entrepreneurs, in the three thematic areas of ICTs; Green Technologies;
Health & Food Security are two generous prizes: First prize USD 100,000;
and USD 50000 for the second prize. </font><font size="3"> <br>
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The registration deadline for the 2012 prize has been set for September
30<sup>th</sup>, 2011 with no possibility of extensions.</font><font size="3">
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The organizers expect the prize to promote among young African men and
women the pursuit of science, technology and engineering careers and business
applications. The aims are to:</font><font size="3"> <br>
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- Create a platform for identification of innovative
concepts and projects submitted by applicants that could be supported by
AIP; <br>
- Promote innovation across Africa in key sectors
of interest through the competition;</font><font size="3"> </font><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><br>
- Promote science, technology and engineering
as rewarding, exciting and noble career options among the youth in Africa
by profiling successful applicants; and</font><font size="3"> </font><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><br>
- Encourage entrepreneurs, innovators, funding
bodies and business development service providers to exchange ideas and
explore innovative business opportunities.</font><font size="3"> <br>
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In pursuing those aims, the AIP expects the following outcomes:</font><font size="3">
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- Increased commercialization of research and
development (R&D) outputs in Africa;</font><font size="3"> </font><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><br>
- Increased development of start-up, adoption
of new and emerging technologies and accelerate growth of an innovative
and dynamic private sector; and</font><font size="3"> </font><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><br>
- Increased general economic activities that
result in long term sustainable development</font><font size="3"> <br>
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Over the coming five years, AIP will be targeting innovators/entrepreneurs
in different thematic areas to be determined each year by the Technical
Advisory Committee.</font><font size="3"> <br>
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For detailed information of competition categories, conditions of entry,
and submission procedures, please visit: </font><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.uneca.org/AIF/AIP"><font color="blue" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><u>http://www.uneca.org/AIF/AIP</u></font></a>
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