African Scientific Research and Innovation Council (ASRIC) has charged African scientists to rise to the challenges bedeviling the continent and provide plausible solutions.
The Executive Director, African Union Scientific and Technical Research Commission (AUSTRC) and ASRIC, Dr Ahmed Hamdy, gave the charge while addressing the participants at the 7th ASRIC Congress on Wednesday in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
The theme of the congress is “Leveraging Science and Technology To Mitigate Natural and Human-made azards.
He harped on the need for a home-grown approach to tackling the challenges faced by African on the continent.
Hamdy urged African scientists to prepare and take advantage of grand opportunities offered by Science and Technology and transform the continent.
“I call on African scientists and researchers to foster STI to solve their various development challenges and transform our economies.
“Every African scientist should see this as a wakeup call and rise to the challenge of addressing these problems on our continent..
“Africa has challenges such as food insecurity, in energy, health, infrastructure, infectious disease, climate change which needs to be fixed with science and technology.’’
Hamdy said that ASRIC, an advisory body of the African Union (AU), was created for African scientists to leverage and put African on the global map through science and technology.
The Director-General of Tanzania Commission For Science and Technology (COSTECH), Dr Amos Nungu said Africa can make it to higher heights in fostering STI for national and regional development.
Nungu, in his address, said Africa needs many more African researchers capable of applying and developing scientific and technical knowledge to Africa’s problems and developing its huge potential.
“Africa is exposed to a wide range of technological opportunities to address its human development and emerging challenges.
“Africa should invest in capacity building in the area of innovation policy development and should promote regional innovation policy,” he said.
The director–general said that the recent COVID-19 pandemic should serve as a reminder that science was not to be taken for granted, saying that science and innovation shape humanity. (NAN)
