DURBAN - DURBAN will host the inaugural Bio Africa Convention which is expected to bring together a formidable line-up of local and international high-powered speakers on biotechnology in a bid to grow the bio-economy.
The convention kicks off from Monday until Wednesday at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Convention Centre. The Bio Africa Convention is an international event organised by AfricaBio, a biotechnology association in partnership with the Technology Innovation Agency and Innovative Pharmaceutical Association South Africa.
An array of health, science, agriculture, innovation, government and business sector speakers are expected to address the inaugural convention.
Dr Siyabulela Ntutela, chief executive of AfricaBio, said phenomenal women would be given a platform to share their expertise at the event.
He said the convention would take the form of a series of plenary sessions covering policy issues, and parallel sessions on specific topics on health biotechnology, agricultural biotechnology, industrial biotechnology and cross-cutting.
“The Bio Africa Convention will create an enabling environment for business to business interaction and foster partnerships between local companies and international investors, as well as strategic collaborations by industry players across the continent to promote and develop Africa’s bio-economy.”
Among the topics to be discussed will include innovation for health in Africa, public sector efforts in developing agri-biotech for Africa and building industrial bio-economy in Africa.