President Bola Tinubu,President of the African Development Bank, Akinwunmi Adesina and Kenyan born activist and lawyer, Patrick Lumumba,are among top personalities expected at the African Academy of Sciences Biannual Conference and General Assembly holding in Abuja on December 9 to 12, 2024.
While Tinubu will declare the continental event open,the AfDB President on the other hand is expected to deliver a keynote address just as Prof. Patrick Lumumba from Nairobi, Kenya, Prof.Olubayi Olubayi from Uganda, and Prof. Oyewale Tomori, current President of the West African Network of Science Academies have been scheduled as presenters to deliver papers on topical issues.
Pioneer Vice Chancellor of Ondo State University of Medical Sciences,Prof. Friday Okonofua,who addressed the media alongside others in Abuja, Wednesday, ahead of the event, explained that the "outcomes of the conference 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."
Okonofua, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology spoke on behalf of the President of the Academy, Professor Lise Korsten at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, to officially announce the conference to all stakeholders both within Nigeria and internationally.
He said:"The 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.
"The conference theme is: Empowering and Advancing Africa's Scientific Enterprise. The 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. The conference will cover subthemes including: Health, climate change, science diplomacy, science Infrastructure, agriculture, social science and policy, the basic sciences, engineering.. digital and creative economy, and future funding mechanisms.
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"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."
According to him, during the conference, new Fellows will be admitted into the Academy, while the recipient of the Olusegun Obasanjo price and other awards will be announced."
