📌 Context and Justification
Founded in 1951, the Centre Suisse de Recherche Scientifique en Côte d'Ivoire (CSRS) celebrates in 2026 its 75 years of scientific excellence, multidisciplinary innovation and major contributions to sustainable development in West Africa. This exceptional anniversary, which is much more than a simple commemoration, offers a strategic opportunity to bring together the international scientific community, institutional partners, public and private sectors as well as development actors around a central theme.
"Scientific Research and Public-Private Partnerships:
Catalysts for Sustainable Development and Well-being in Sub-Saharan Africa"
This theme reflects the deep conviction that in the face of systemic challenges such as biodiversity erosion, food insecurity, emergence of new diseases, climate disruption and persistent socio-economic inequalities, effective and sustainable responses can only rely on solid scientific knowledge and innovative cooperation models.
For 75 years, CSRS has embodied this synergy between science, public institutions, private actors and local communities, demonstrating that research, when supported by robust partnerships, is capable of producing transformative innovations and tangible impacts on the well-being of populations.
That is why, building on its achievements and driven by a resolutely forward-looking vision, CSRS is organizing this international conference to showcase its achievements, consolidate existing scientific networks and co-build new research and innovation trajectories around the most pressing global challenges, including:
- The preservation of biodiversity
- Public health
- Food security
- Climate change
- Emerging technologies and artificial intelligence
In a spirit of strengthened cooperation between scientists, policy makers, businesses and civil society, with a view to building a resilient and prosperous future for the whole of Sub-Saharan Africa.
🎯 Conference Objectives
General Objective
Create an international platform for scientific and technological dialogue to consolidate partnerships, strengthen capacities and co-build sustainable solutions for the socio-economic and environmental challenges of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Specific Objectives
- Highlight 75 years of scientific achievements of CSRS and their impacts.
- Promote exchanges between researchers, decision-makers, public/private partners and local communities.
- Present recent scientific advances in the key areas of the conference.
- Strengthen international cooperations and encourage multi-stakeholder partnership projects.
- Identify new strategic research axes for the next 25 years of CSRS.
- Promote the integration of artificial intelligence and technological innovations in African research.
- Produce a white paper and policy recommendations resulting from the conference proceedings.
📋 Conference Format
The conference will feature:
- Oral presentations in parallel sessions
- Poster presentations
- Introductory lectures by renowned experts
- A multi-stakeholder panel discussion
📊 In Figures
75
Years of excellence
1951
Year of foundation
2026
Conference year