Strengthening the Frontiers of Biotechnology in Ethiopia, Dr. Belete Molla, Minister of Innovation and Technology, met with ICGEB Director-General Dr. Lawrence Banks.
Continuing his mission in Ethiopia last week, ICGEB Director-General Dr. Lawrence Banks and the delegation from his Office met with Dr. Belete Mola, Ethiopian Minister of Innovation and Technology, in Addis Ababa.
Minister Mola commented on the extensive support ICGEB is providing to Ethiopia, particularly in agriculture and capacity building, and expressed gratitude to both the Italian Government and to ICGEB for the success of projects funded for this purpose.
Minister Mola and DG Banks also remarked upon the great success of the B-INOC project, supported by MAECI, which is transforming agricultural practices in rural communities, enhancing food security and providing employment. They both agreed that this programme is now ripe for further expansion across Ethiopia, where Enset cultivation and fermentation are a food staple for over 25 million Ethiopians.
Prof. Kassahun Tesfaye, Vice-President of the ICGEB Board of Governors, Governor for Ethiopia, and Director-General of the Bio & Emerging Technology Institute (BETin), was also present, as the Minister confirmed that, to date, more than 20 national researchers have benefited from short-term training at the PhD and Postdoctoral level through these initiatives.
Dr. Banks stated that the Centre is ready to expand cooperation with Ethiopia in agriculture and biotechnology, in addition to the biofuel, carbon capture, and industrial biotechnology sectors, to drive a greener economy, more industrial efficiency, and sustainable development.
Dr. Banks presented a seminar at BETin entitled “Strengthening Ethiopia-ICGEB Partnership for Biotechnology Innovation and Scientific Excellence”, highlighting the transformative role of international collaboration in advancing biotechnology, scientific excellence, and sustainable development across Africa. He emphasised the importance of technology transfer, research partnerships, and capacity building in enabling African institutions to become leaders in scientific innovation rather than consumers of technology. He also showcased ICGEB’s global efforts in areas such as infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, plant biotechnology, and biomanufacturing.
The longstanding partnership between Ethiopia and ICGEB continues to deliver tangible results, including advanced training opportunities for Ethiopian PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers, support for participation in international scientific conferences, collaborative research projects leading to high-impact scientific publications, and strengthened research infrastructure, including support for genomics and biotechnology platforms.
The engaging discussion that followed reflected the growing ambition of Ethiopia’s scientific community to contribute meaningfully to global research and innovation, and of Ethiopia to invest in biotechnology and emerging technologies through partnerships such as this, which are considered vital for nurturing talent, accelerating innovation, and addressing pressing challenges in health, agriculture, and sustainable development.
