Integrating STI across all sectors to stimulate Rwanda’s economic growth:

Linking Research, Technology and Innovation for economic development to become high-income economy.

In October 6-7 2022, a seventh (7th) NCST Council Meeting will physically take place in Kigali, after the Councillors have held the 5th and 6th Council Meetings virtually due to COVID-19 Pandemic. During the 7th Council Meeting, there will be diverse side-line events to support integration of science, technology and innovation (STI) in national priority sectors to stimulate development. The theme of the 7th Council Meeting is “Integrating STI across all sectors to stimulate Rwanda’s economic growth”. This theme is critical to guide the meeting along Rwanda’s Vision 2050, that is enshrined in the National Strategy for Transformation (NST-1) as the medium-term plan to achieve this vision. Achieving the national development targets of high quality of citizens and industrial growth anchored by research and development (R&D) and growth of innovations is imperative to address national social, economic, and environmental challenges.

This meeting will be an opportunity to deliberate on NCST key activities, visit various programs to understand how to guide and shape activities that provide sustainable solutions for national development programs that address specific challenges affecting Rwandan citizens. Alongside the meeting the following events will take place:

1. Council Meeting activities;
2. presentations from STI national, regional and global partners;
3. Field visits at national STI infrastructure, programs and technology hubs;
4. Meeting the Government of Rwanda high-level leadership;
5. Networking cocktail and grant awarding ceremony; and
6. Pre- and Post-Meeting Events public presentations;

The pre- and post- Meeting Symposium shall provide evidence that supports integration of STI in national priority sectors to stimulate development.

Invited renown speakers shall provide their experiences on COVID-19 pandemic influence on Food Security Policy in Africa, research on insects and related arthropods and their basis for beneficial uses (such as for food, feed, ecosystem services and value-added products), as well as how Rwanda like other African countries have powerful advantages based on abundance of resources (sun, land, and water) to power industrial development, and to provide an export platform. The revival of agriculture as a high-tech industry in Rwanda also offers new opportunities to leapfrog into green technologies.

To sustain economic growth, the re-balancing of the development agenda should emphasize not only infrastructure or business climate improvement but also cultivation of private firms and national innovation capabilities. Thus, Rwanda like many African countries should be allowed policy space to nurture their local firms.