MEST Hosted Peer-to-Peer Learning Session with Sierra Leone’s National Science, Technology and Innovation Council

April 23, 2025 in MESTI NEWS

Accra, Ghana – 23rd to 25th April 2025

The Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology (MEST), Ghana, hosted a three-day Peer-to-Peer Learning Session with a delegation from the National Science, Technology and Innovation Council (NSTIC) of Sierra Leone from 23rd to 25th April 2025 in Accra. The initiative formed part of a broader effort to promote institutional learning, build capacity, and enhance cooperation in science, technology, and innovation (STI) across the African continent.

The session was officially opened by the then Chief Director of MEST, Dr. Patrick Nomo, who welcomed the Sierra Leonean delegation and highlighted the importance of South-South collaboration in strengthening STI ecosystems. In his address, Dr. Nomo emphasized that shared learning and experience exchange were essential in building resilient institutions capable of advancing national development through research and innovation.

Over the course of the three days, participants engaged in a series of in-depth presentations, practical knowledge-sharing sessions, and field visits to major institutions within Ghana’s STI landscape. Discussions centered on 16 thematic areas, including governance structures, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, communication and visibility, research funding mechanisms, research uptake, and commercialization of research outcomes.

The Sierra Leonean delegation visited key Ghanaian institutions including the Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (STEPRI), where they explored the role of policy research in guiding national STI decisions; the Food Research Institute (FRI), where applied research in food science and agro-processing was showcased; and the Department of Food Process Engineering at the University of Ghana, which demonstrated the role of academia in advancing innovation. The team also paid a courtesy visit to the Sierra Leone High Commission in Accra, where they reflected on the importance of sustained diplomatic and scientific cooperation.

The learning exchange concluded on 25th April with a closing session led by MEST’s newly appointed Chief Director, Madam Suweibatu Adams. She commended both teams for the depth of engagement and reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to continued partnership with Sierra Leone and other regional counterparts. Madam Adams stressed the need to maintain momentum through follow-up actions and joint initiatives that would further strengthen STI institutions across Africa.

Throughout the session, participants from both countries expressed their appreciation for the meaningful exchange of ideas and experiences. The Sierra Leonean delegation described the visit as highly impactful, noting the relevance of Ghana’s STI models to their own institutional development goals. The event concluded on a high note with shared reflections, the presentation of gifts, and a renewed sense of solidarity and collaboration.

The Peer-to-Peer Learning Session was supported by the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), a multi-donor program dedicated to enhancing the institutional capacities of science granting councils across Africa, enabling them to support research and evidence-based policymaking that drives social and economic development.

Explore selected moments from the three-day engagement, including presentations, field visits, and the final gift exchange.