Ethiopia is due to embrace a new era of innovation. As a country with a youth-dominated population, Ethiopia focuses especially on technological developments and innovations and developing the startup sector. The government of Ethiopia is working to foster an environment conducive to innovation, technology, startups, and entrepreneurship, aiming to transform the sectors.
Following the 2018 reform, Ethiopia has zeroed in on transforming the country’s technology and local innovations. To this end, Ethiopia invests in policy reforms and strategies to create a conducive ecosystem and promote innovators to stimulate activities in the sector. These measures have significantly changed the sector, especially local innovation, during the past six years.
The Ethiopian government is eyeing international collaborations to unlock the country’s full potential of the innovation and technology ecosystem and the local measures. In this regard, Ethiopia is working with renowned international tech organizations and with countries having advanced technologies and vibrant startup innovations. The collaboration in the aims is to share experience, technology and knowledge transfer, and human resource development to support the local efforts in realizing technological developments and local innovations.
Among the exemplary collaborations with technology-developed countries is Ethiopia’s collaboration with Israel, which has shown meaningful developments in recent years. The collaboration in the innovation and startup ecosystem between the two historically ally countries, Ethiopia and Israel, is thriving. The two countries have strong relations in agriculture, irrigation, and other economic developments thanks to the strong and historic diplomatic relations of the two nations.
Aiming to boost their collaboration in the innovation ecosystem, the two countries launched an innovation week, The Ethio-Israel Innovation Week in 2022. The Innovation Week aims at enhancing innovation strategic frameworks and strengthening the infrastructure and startup ecosystem between the two countries. As successor of the first innovation week, the Second Ethio-Israel Innovation Week was also held this week in Addis Ababa, from Monday to Thursday, by different activities.
In his opening remarks during the innovation week, Belete Molla (PhD), Minister of Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MInT) of Ethiopia said that the innovation week is a significant milestone in fostering innovation and economic growth in both Ethiopia and Israel. The innovation week, as to him, can serve as an architect of future collaborations, creativity and technology convergence to create lasting impact.
The goal of the innovation week is to forge partnerships that will enhance the innovation strategic framework and strengthen the infrastructure and startup ecosystem. The partnership in the innovation sector “is an opportunity to leverage our respective strength, to share knowledge and to create strategies that will benefit our nations and beyond,” Belete said. In this regard, to exploit and unlock the full potential of the country’s innovation and startup ecosystem, Ethiopia is eyeing at further strengthening collaborations locally and internationally.
As a result, Israel with its vibrant startup ecosystem and technological advancements is an ideal country to strengthen collaborations in the sector. “The Israel model of innovation marked by agility, creativity, and resilience offers invaluable lessons for us in Ethiopia and beyond. As we embark on this journey of collaboration, we must establish a clear strategic framework. This framework should encompass various dimensions such as knowledge exchange, capacity building, investment opportunities, and joint ventures,” Belete. By strengthening partnerships in the innovation ecosystem, Ethiopia envisions its entrepreneurs to learn from their Israeli counterparts, researchers to collaborate on groundbreaking projects and both nations strengthen cooperation on solutions to address pressing challenges and problems.
According to Belete, the integration of Israeli experts into the Ethiopian startup landscape “is vital for fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within the country. By enabling partnerships with key partners in the Ethiopian burgeoning ecosystem, Israeli stakeholders can share valuable insights and best practices that will enhance local capacities.” In addition to strengthening existing frameworks, this kind of collaboration can lay the groundwork for sustained Israeli investment in Ethiopia’s startup initiative, according to MInT.
Belete said that Ethiopia needs the usual commitment to continue Israeli involvement for fostering innovation within Ethiopian academia by actively exploring and establishing institutional relationships with Israeli universities and technical colleges as well. Boosting this collaboration will focus on creating academic partnerships that facilitate knowledge exchange, joint research initiatives, and innovative curricular developments tailored to local contexts.
As to him, by leveraging Israeli’s expertise in technology and entrepreneurship, Ethiopia aims to enhance the educational landscape and equipping students with a skill and knowledge necessary to flourish in the rapidly evolving global economy. Through this partnership, Ethiopia envisioned a vibrant academic ecosystem; a research and innovation ecosystem that nurtures creativity, critical thinking, and practical solutions to local challenges ultimately contributing to the country’s sustainable development-led technological advancements.
In this regard, Belete reaffirms Ethiopia’s commitment to strengthen its collaboration with Israel and proposes the establishment of Ethiopia and Israel Innovation Council. As to him, the council will serve as a platform for a dialogue among government agencies, private sector players, academic institutions, and civil societies. “It will facilitate the sharing of best practices, the identification of future interests, and alignment of efforts towards common goals,” Belete noted. Belete is hopeful to ensure the collaboration of the two countries yielding tangible results by working together in a structured manner.
Belete underlines Ethiopia’s unwavering commitment to enhance the innovation ecosystem between Ethiopia and Israel and to further solidify the partnership. “Together we will focus on technology, knowledge transfer, capacity building and talent development with an eye towards advancing additional collaborative initiatives in 2025 and beyond.”
For his part, Ambassador-Designate of Israel to Ethiopia, Avraham Neguise, stated that the innovation week would share his country’s experience in establishing a successful and leading innovation and startup ecosystem with Ethiopia’s experts in the field. He said that Ethiopia is blessed with natural resources and human resources, adding adopting technological developments would help to utilize these resources for economic development. He stated that his country is committed to supporting the efforts of utilizing these resources for economic development by supporting the country’s technology and innovation sector.
“The second Ethio-Israel innovation week opens with the arrival of a special team from Israel,” Ambassador Avraham said adding each one of the delegation team is equipped with diverse experience and knowledge related to the development of the innovation ecosystem in Israel. The delegation, will meet and discuss with Ethiopian government officials, technical teams, international organizations, and academia and private sector representatives. The discussions aim at experience sharing as well as advancing collaborations in the fields of innovation, and entrepreneurship during 2025 and beyond.
“Israel is the startup nation. Our experience in establishing a leading innovation and startup ecosystem among the world’s most successful cans serves as a model for our friends around the world working on building their innovation ecosystems, including here in Ethiopia,” Ambassador Avraham reiterated. As to him, in recent years Israel is working on strengthening cooperation with Ethiopia in initiatives involving government and private sector initiatives in the innovation and startup ecosystem.
According to Avraham Israel’s involvement has increased over the past five years in Ethiopia’s innovation ecosystem including professional surveys of the innovation ecosystems in Ethiopia by Israeli experts, trilateral cooperation through UNDP Innovation for Development program, and providing innovation courses for Ethiopian officials and experts. He stated that Israel is in a complicated time “as we fight terrorism in the aftermath of the October 7 terrorist attack” and the arrival of Israel’s delegation at the second Ethio-Israel Innovation week implies Israel’s commitment to strengthen its bond with Ethiopia even during difficult times.
The two countries see the opportunity to learn from one another, to innovate together, and to pave the way for a brighter future.
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2024
