Business
African Leaders Move To Embrace Science, Research
Bothered by the spate of poor investments in the development of African countries through science and research in the face of increasing challenges, African leaders have launched “Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa” (AESA).
Launched recently in Nairobi, Kenya and endorsed by African Heads of State and Government, the Nairobi-based AESA aims to support the implementation of the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy (STISA-2024) and the African Health Strategy (AHS) for 2015 – 2030.
The launch of AESA is a deliberate move to close the gap in Africa, which reveals that currently, the continent accounts for 15% of the global population and 25% of the global disease burden, but only produces about 2% of the world’s research output.
Although more than 60% of African countries have increased their recent investments in science, over half of African countries still invest less than 0.5% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on research, which is far less than the global 1%.
Increased domestic investment in research is therefore needed to accelerate the long-term health and development progress required to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, according to the leaders.
“Now is the moment for Africa to take action and prioritise funding for local scientific research and innovation. Our continent’s future depends on it”, said the President of Mauritius, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim.
“As a scientist, entrepreneur and President, I’ve seen first-hand the impact that investments in science can have, both on individual researchers and on a country’s development”, he said.
On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, noted the significance of the AESA.
According to him, “The launch of AESA today is a significant milestone in driving investment in health research and lifting science across the continent. AESA will ensure that Africa contributes to the global pool of scientific knowledge and technological innovations”.
AESA was created by the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and the NEPAD Agency with $5.5 million in initial seed funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Welcome Trust, and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
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