ECOWAS appointed members of the Scientific Committee, its bureau and the start-up selection panel for the third African Forum for Research and Innovation at a meeting at the Coconut Grove Accra hotel in Ghana.
The gathering, convened by the ECOWAS Commission through its Directorate of Education, Science and Culture, ran from 27 to 30 October 2026 and marked the formal start of scientific preparations for FARI-2027.
The forum is organised under the theme “Rethinking the education system to stimulate innovation and development.”
In a report from the Economic Community of West African States, the Commission described FARI as a key instrument for promoting Science, Technology and Innovation in the service of regional socio-economic development.
With the bodies constituted, the experts turned to the technical work of structuring the forum’s overall framework. According to the Commission, that work covers four areas:
- Breaking down the major sub-themes arising from the central theme;
- Structuring the themes and defining specific areas of discussion for each panel;
- Approving the forum’s overall terms of reference;
- Defining the selection criteria and evaluation framework to be used by the jury for the innovative start-up competition.
Dr Roland Kouakou, Director of Education, Science and Culture, spoke on behalf of H.E. General Birame Diop, Chair of the ECOWAS Commission, and Professor Nassirou Bako-Arifari, Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs.
He said FARI “has now established itself as a key instrument of our regional policy on science and innovation,” describing it as a platform for showcasing the results of scientific research and the potential of young innovators within the Community.
Kouakou added that the establishment of the bodies in Accra and the technical work carried out there “lay the essential foundations for the success and influence of the 2027 edition.”
The meeting was scheduled to close on 30 October 2026 with the adoption of the FARI-2027 operational roadmap, alongside the forthcoming launch of calls for papers and applications.
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