Former Vice-Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba, has been appointed member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Innovation Council.

His appointment comes hardly a month after being appointed chairman of Makerere University Business School (MUBS) Council.

Baryamureeba's January 16 appointment letter was signed by the COMESA secretary general, Sindiso Ngwenya.

The appointment for a three-year term takes effect from February 2013.

Baryamureeba was appointed following his nomination by Uganda's ministry responsible for science, technology and innovation.

Sindiso noted that the creation of the Innovation Council represents a landmark in Africa's institutional history.

He also noted that the council is the first major political recognition of the critical role technological innovation can play in enhancing Africa's global competitiveness.

The COMESA Innovation Council, he said, would be inaugurated in Kampala next month.

Baryamureeba handed over as head of Makerere on September 6, 2012 and founded the Uganda Technology and Management University (UTAMU) soon after.

Since his departure from Makerere, he has also been appointed a senate member of Mbarara University of Science and Technology and Busitema University.

Baryamureeba is renowned for championing the Information and Communication Technology era at Makerere.