8 July 2011: The UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Innovation Foundation (AIF) have launched a new award aimed at encouraging innovations for sustainable development in Africa, called the African Innovation Prize (AIP). The Prize will be awarded for the first time in February 2012.

The 2012 award is targeted at innovators and inventors in three thematic areas from which two winners will be selected: information and communication technologies; green technologies (energy and water); and health and food security (including agriculture). The first and second prizes are, respectively, US$100,000 and US$50,000. The registration deadline for the 2012 prize is 30 September 2011. The AIP will be awarded annually and over the next five years, it will target innovators and entrepreneurs in different thematic areas to be determined each year by the Technical Advisory Committee.

Through the award, UNECA and the AIF aim to acknowledge, support and encourage innovators and entrepreneurs. The prize aims to promote the pursuit of science, technology and engineering careers and business applications among young African men and women. The expected outcomes of the AIP are: increased commercialization of research and development outputs in Africa; increased development of start-up, adoption of new and emerging technologies and growth of an innovative and dynamic private sector; and increased general economic activities that result in long term sustainable development. [UNECA Press Release] [Award Website]