Building momentum for regional science diplomacy

Hosted by the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) – IIASA’s National Member Organization for Egypt, the IRC Expo convened national leaders, international experts, and innovators under the theme, Market the Mind – How Research Drives Economic Growth.

The Expo served as an international platform linking scientific research, technological innovation, and technology transfer to global strategic development goals. Exhibitions and discussions spanned eight priority sectors, namely information and communication technology, health and biotechnology, sustainable technologies, agri-food and agriculture, engineering and manufacturing, FinTech, EdTech, and smart cities, demonstrating Egypt’s growing innovation landscape.

Lips contributed a systems analysis perspective to the science-policy dialogue, emphasizing the importance of integrated approaches for tackling complex development challenges. She was joined at the event by Kahil, who contributed expertise on sustainable water management. Also participating was Tyseer Aboulnasr and Amani Elrayes of the Institute of National Planning. Together they support regional community-building efforts, reinforcing ongoing cooperation between IIASA’s activities across Egypt’s scientific community.

Lips and Kahil engaged in strategic discussions at the Institute of National Planning (INP), which was a central focus of their visit. The INP hosts the North Africa Applied Systems Analysis Centre (NAASAC), established in partnership with IIASA to strengthen regional capacity in applied systems analysis. Meetings with senior INP officials and representatives of the Arab Water Council, who recently participated in a water diplomacy event at IIASA, explored opportunities to deepen collaboration on water security, sustainable development planning, and regional science diplomacy.

Lips noted that the visit reaffirmed Egypt’s strong engagement with IIASA and highlighted significant opportunities to deepen collaboration through NAASAC and other joint initiatives.

“IIASA’s partnership with Egypt continues to grow in scope and strategic relevance,” she says. “Our discussions with INP and participation in IRC 2025 demonstrate the value of systems analysis in shaping innovation ecosystems, informing policy, and supporting long-term sustainable development.”

These latest engagements with Egyptian partners mark an important step in strengthening IIASA’s presence in North Africa and enhancing regional cooperation on shared challenges such as water resilience, economic transformation, and sustainable technological innovation.