By Ngozi Nwankwo
African Academy of Science has announced it plan to hold Biannual conference and General Assembly of the African Academy of Sciences, Abuja.
The conference theme, which is: Empowering and Advancing Africa’s Scientific Enterprise, would also cover sub themes including: climate change, health,science diplomacy, science Infrastructure, agriculture, social science and policy, the basic sciences, engineering..digital and creative economy, and future funding mechanisms.
Briefing journalists in Abuja on Monday, the President of the Academy, Professor Lise Korsten at the University of Pretoria in South Africa said AAS GA-2024 will unite some 1,000 outstanding thinkers and distinguished stakeholders from around the world, including policy stakeholders, regional science bodies, development partners, and key leaders in the continent.
Officially announcing the conference to all stakeholders both within Nigeria and internationally, the president explained that African Academy of Sciences (AAS) is a non-aligned, non-political, not- for-profit pan-African learned society formed in 1985 to promote the development of all African countries using the principles and philosophies of science.
“The AAS with headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya is governed by a General Assembly of nearly 560 elected Fellows from all African countries, and a Governing Council consisting of officials elected by the General Assembly.
“The officials consist of a President, a Secretary General, Treasurer, and
five Vice-Presidents each elected to represent the five sub-regions of
Africa. The current Governing Council was elected in July 2023 for a 3-year term. The 2024 Abuja Conference/General Assembly is the 5th in a roll, and is being held for the first time in West Africa.
“The conference will take place in the beautiful city of Abuja at the NICON LUXURY hotel located in the central part of the city. Arrival date is December 8 while departure is December 13,” said the AAS president.
He said the conference will be declared open by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while the President of the African Development Bank, Professor Akinwunmi Adesina will deliver the keynote address. Other presenters who have accepted to deliver papers at the conference include Professor Patrick Lumumba from Nairobi, Kenya, Professor Olubayi Olubayi from Uganda, and Professor Oyewale Tomori, current President of the West African Network of Science Academies.
During the conference, according to him, new Fellows will be admitted into the Academy, while the recipient of the Olusegun Obasanjo price and other awards will be announced.
The AAS, therefore, expressed his hope that the outcomes of the conference would hold great promise for re-positioning Africa to a new way of thinking about science and leveraging its potential to promote Africa’s development and its future.