The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) has officially set the dates for its 15th Biannual Conference and General Assembly, which will be held in Abuja, Nigeria, from December 9 to 12, 2024. The highly anticipated event is set to bring together over 1,000 stakeholders from across the world to discuss pivotal issues in science and development on the African continent.
Key topics to be explored include health, climate change, science diplomacy, agriculture, social sciences, engineering, the digital and creative economies, and future funding mechanisms for African scientific initiatives. These sub-themes are central to the theme of the conference, “Empowering and Advancing Africa’s Scientific Enterprise.”
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Professor Friday Okonofua, speaking on behalf of AAS President Professor Lise Korsten of the University of Pretoria, made the announcement at a press conference today. The AAS, established in 1985, is a pan-African, non-political organization dedicated to advancing scientific progress in Africa. The Academy, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, consists of nearly 560 Fellows from across the continent and is governed by an elected council.
Notably, this year marks the first time the conference will be held in West Africa. The event will take place at the NICON Luxury Hotel in Abuja, with participants arriving on December 8 and departing on December 13.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to officially open the conference, while the keynote address will be delivered by the President of the African Development Bank, Professor Akinwunmi Adesina. Other prominent speakers will include Professor Patrick Lumumba from Kenya, Professor Olubayi Olubayi from Uganda, and Professor Oyewale Tomori, President of the West African Network of Science Academies.
In addition to academic discussions, the event will feature the induction of new Fellows into the Academy and the presentation of the prestigious Olusegun Obasanjo Prize, among other awards.
During the press conference, Professor Okonofua underscored the significance of the event, saying, “The outcomes of this conference hold great promise for repositioning Africa to embrace new approaches to science and to harness its potential for development.”