Dr Yaya Sangare – Secretary-General
Fonds pour la Science, la Technologie et l'Innovation (FONSTI), Ivory Coast

Since 2007, Dr Sangare has been the Executive Secretary of the Programme d’Appui Stratégique à la Recherche Scientifique (PASRES), one of the main structures for supporting research and innovation in Côte d’Ivoire.

Dr Sangare has expertise in two fields: materials science and organizational management. Following the completion of a doctorate in materials physics from Université de Montpellier (France) and graduate degrees from the Institut d’Administration des Entreprises de Poitiers (France), he taught at the l’Institut National Polytechnique in Yamoussoukro (Côte d’Ivoire) and later joined the Chamber of Commerce and Industry as the Director of training and development for executives. He then held various positions in the private sector in Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. This career path provided him with critical insight into the expectations of industry and allowed him to pursue efforts to build linkages with the research and innovation sectors.

Since May 2019, he is the Secretary General of the Science, Technology and Innovation Fund (FONSTI), a new funding body set up by the State of Côte d'Ivoire to help the Côte d 'Ivory to build a knowledge-based economy.