Innovation and competitiveness experts have gathered in Addis Ababa from 21-22 April to review draft chapters of the 7th edition of the joint report on Assessing Regional Integration in Africa, to be jointly published by the Economic Commission for Africa, the African Development Bank and the African Union Commission.

The experts are looking into the main policy messages to be incorporated in the report by examining key questions on the importance of innovation for enhancing the competitiveness of African economies as well as the role innovation can play to support policy priorities in the area of structural economic transformation.

Further, discussions will look into what is required to give impetus to national and regional science, technology and innovation policies and ecosystem as well; as how innovation can contribute towards facilitating regional integration and vice versa.

The key subjects covered in the report include:

• Innovation and global intellectual property regulatory regimes – the tension between protection and access;

• Science, technology and innovation policies in Africa;

• Africa’s innovation record and challenges;

• Emerging country experience – innovation in India; and

• ASEAN Experience – regional integration and innovation in the Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN)

Leading the writing of the report is the ECA’s Africa Trade Policy Centre. The final report, Assessing Regional Integration in Africa VII, is expected to be launched in September 2015.

Previous reports have tackled key themes such as the Continental Free Trade Area in Africa and Harmonizing Policies to Transform the Trading Environment, among others.