The United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its Subregional office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA), has partnered with the Fifth African Youth SDGs Summit and AfriLabs to organize an Africa Youth SDGs Innovation Award intended to showcase the innovation potential of young African entrepreneurs. The award aims to recognize and reward outstanding young entrepreneurial efforts, that have successfully developed an innovation to resolve a specific development problem for firms, governments, households and communities and with an impact on the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The contest ran from April to June 2023 and was based on specific eligibility criteria. The top 6 winners of the Africa Youth SDGs Innovation Award will be announced at a side event, organized by ECA SRO-SA, and AfriLabs that will take place at the margins of the Fifth Africa Youth SDGs Summit in Lusaka, Zambia (https://youthsdgssummit.org/).
Objective
The objective of the side event is to present the 6 winners of the Africa Youth SDGs Innovation Award to a target audience of public and private stakeholders with an aim to share their experiences and innovation journeys with other young Africans and inspire African youth to embrace innovative and high-growth entrepreneurship that can impact on African societies and the achievement of the SDGs. The innovation contest is a planned deliverable of the UNDA13th tranche project “Innovative approaches for MSME competitiveness to promote trade and inclusive industrialization in Southern Africa in the Post-Covid context”.
Meeting Focal Point
Ms. Bineswaree Bolaky
Economic Affairs Officer
Sub-Regional Initiatives Section
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Sub Regional Office for Southern Africa
Lusaka, Zambia
E-mail: bineswaree.bolaky@un.org