On September 22, 2026, the director general of the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d’Ivoire (CSRS), Professor Jérémie T. Zoueu, called for strengthening scientific research that is “responsible, transdisciplinary, open to society, and resolutely impact-oriented.” He was speaking at the opening of the international symposium marking the center’s 75th anniversary, held from September 22 to 24 in Abidjan.

Under the theme “Scientific Research and Public-Private Partnerships: Catalysts for Sustainable Development and Well-Being in Sub-Saharan Africa,” the event brought together researchers, public institutions, businesses, technical and financial partners, and development stakeholders. For Professor Jérémie T. Zoueu, the CSRS’s 75th anniversary is a time to take stock, but also to look ahead. “This anniversary should indeed be a time for reflection, clarity, and looking ahead,” he stated in his opening remarks.

Founded in 1951, the CSRS has developed with dual roots in Côte d’Ivoire and Switzerland. The director general described this position as an asset for fostering dialogue among disciplines, generations, institutions, and nations. “No scientific institution grows on its own, and no lasting progress is achieved in isolation,” he emphasized, expressing his gratitude to the Ivorian and Swiss authorities, the General Confederation of Enterprises of Côte d’Ivoire (CGECI), scientific and technical partners, donors, sponsors, and universities that support the center.

During his remarks, the CSRS Director General highlighted the main areas in which the institution has carried out its activities over the past 75 years: health, food safety, the fight against hunger and malnutrition, social transformation, biodiversity, ecosystems, and scientific training. He also emphasized the need for research to evolve in response to current challenges. “Science must break down silos,” he stated, calling for dialogue among the life sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, engineering, economics, local knowledge, and the experience of decision-makers and communities. Public-private partnerships, he argued, serve as a lever to align research with economic and social needs. They can “mobilize funding, build capacity, and bring innovators together.”

Jérémie T. Zoueu, however, called for guidelines to govern these partnerships. “They must not, however, be a mere juxtaposition of interests,” he cautioned, advocating for collaborations based on “clear governance, scientific integrity, social responsibility, transparency, and the pursuit of shared impact.”

The conference addresses four key areas: food security and resilient, green agriculture; health and well-being from a “One Health” perspective; social and economic innovations for inclusive societies; and capacity building and artificial intelligence to support competitive African science. The international conference will continue through September 24 in Abidjan.

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