Deputy Secretary General of the Southern Cooperation Organization (CSO) for Technological Innovation and Improvement of Digitalization, Shumete Gizaw, while inaugurating the event at the Science Museum in Addis Ababa, highlighted the talent and creativity of the Great Southern regions.

Gizaw said they not only empower local innovators, but also create pathways for technologies in response to real-world challenges.

So this event is a celebration of our shared ability to innovate, adapt and lead.

For his part, the Secretary General of the CSO, Sheikh Mansour Bin Mussallam, said that by giving visibility to emerging companies, innovators and entrepreneurs, the fair encourages the exchange of best practices and mutual learning among young people and nations addressing the challenges of technological development in the face of scarcity of resources.

“It also acts as a catalyst for economies of scale, empowering entrepreneurs and students to become drivers of technological advancement,” Mussallam said.

The two-day exhibition features the participation of more than 40 start-up companies from 14 countries and serves as a platform for thought leaders, policy makers and innovators to collaborate and address critical challenges through localized, impactful solutions.

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