Background: several knowledge translation tools and platforms have been developed in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). The Global Evidence Synthesis Initiative (GESI) Secretariat identified an imbalance in the capacity of LMIC centres in engaging stakeholders in research.

Objectives: to provide a contextual insight on the capacity to engage stakeholders within the GESI Network, and exchange experiences on barriers and facilitators.

Methods: first, the GESI Secretariat conducted a mixed-method needs assessment with the GESI Network members. Then, a panel took place in Cape Town where researchers from four different centres exchanged their experiences in the presence of the attendees of Cochrane Indaba.

Results: we thus propose to share the results of the needs assessment on engagement with stakeholders, and to simulate the session in Cape Town in order to provide the GESI Network members with the opportunity to receive input form experts in stakeholder engagement and patients attending the Cochrane Colloquium.

Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: neither patients nor healthcare consumers were involved in this work.