Joel Ajayi 

African Academy For Science, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and other stakeholders has called on African countries to invest more on female education to increase the numbers of female scientist in the continent 

The Executive Director UNFPA Dr Natalia Kanem made the call on Tuesday at the 15th Bi-Annual General Assembly and Scientific Conference of the African Academy of Sciences holding in Abuja with the theme: “Empowering and Advancing Africa’s Scientific Enterprise” holding.

The Executive Director, UNFPA, Dr. Natalia Kanem who was represented by the  UNFPA Secretary in Nigeria, Nathaniel Nau,  stated that Africa needs to invest more on the girl child education so that we can have more female scientists.

“We need urgent investment in education, particularly girl education, access to healthcare, youth employment, entrepreneurship, and we believe that AAS can contribute greatly to that.
Speaking further he said, ” From its humble beginning in the 1980s, the African Academy of Science has grown into a leading pan-African institution, nurturing the next generation of African scientists.

“Its fellows and researchers are at the forefront of groundbreaking research and innovation, addressing critical issues such as climate change, behavioral sciences, governance, data, demographic transition, youth empowerment, vaccine development, and maternal sexual and reproductive health.”

“The AAS has established itself as a vital community of science and scholars whose work align with and significantly contribute to key aspects of UNFPA mission, that is to ensure that no woman dies while giving birth, that pregnancies remain a choice, not a chance, and that there is no gender-based violence to women and girls.

 ” UNFPA is proud to be a partner and sponsor of this General Assembly and we assure you of our steadfast support as you continue this noble mission.” he added 

President Bola Tinubu while declaring the conference open urged African countries to harness the power of technology to transform the continent.

The President was represented by the Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, Speaking through Nnaji president Tinubu said, “Let us harness the power of science to transform our society, uplift our economies, and improve the quality of life for all Africans.

“Together, we can build a future where scientific excellence is the hallmark of Africa’s development.”

In her her remarks the President of AAS,  Prof. Lise Korsten said the desires of  the Academy is to see birth of Africa’s sustainable development through Science Technology and Innovation (STI).

“At the heart of our Academy lies a profound commitment to accelerating Africa’s sustainable development through science and innovation.

“Since 2015, the AAS, with a mandate from the African Union, has been working with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and other partners to drive sustainable development in Africa through STI.”.

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