Frontier Research

Co-creating innovative solutions at the intersection between action research, capacity-building and strategic cooperation

Focused on improving livelihoods towards self-sufficiency and equality in the Global South, the Pan-African Cooperation and Educational Technologies (PACET) division aims to advance emerging solutions through innovative research, the incubation of solutions and the promotion of strategic responses in line with Global South agendas and UN priorities.

The division's research focuses on two main pillars. The first concerns the Water-Energy-Food Nexus, which addresses how water security, energy access, and food production interact to manage these resources in an integrated way. Within the second working pillar on Green Innovations, Digitalization and Entrepreneurship, the division contributes to strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem and supports youth and women to create innovative solutions to address local challenges through business/start-up development, job creation and leapfrogging green sectors.

PACET aims to inform the policy and action of UN organizations and Member States, and provides pilot models of innovative solutions developed jointly with universities, the private sector and civil society actors. With a cross-cutting focus on capacity-building through leveraging digital and educational technologies, PACET empowers and capacitates youth, innovators and entrepreneurs, communities and practitioners through co-designed practical learning experiences.

PACET serves as a bridge to facilitate South-South exchange and collaboration between Global South entities and Global North or international organizations, known as triangular cooperation. This helps strengthen policymaking and implementation in line with PACET's research priorities while creating equitable partnerships with stakeholders worldwide.