On 5-6 August 2014 US President Obama hosted the US – Africa Leaders Summit, attended by over 40 heads of state. To build on the attention brought by that Summit to development in Africa, the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the National Academies of Engineering (NAE) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) hosted several events during the week, and invited leaders of science academies of Africa, who have been working together for over 10 years in the African Science Academy Development Initiative (ASADI): about 20 African Academy representatives attended, including 4 representatives of young academies.
The key event, which took place on 5 August, was the Symposium on Science, Technology and Innovation for Economic Growth and Development in Africa. It included several keynote presentations, a panel discussion, and 5 parallel working group sessions addressing next steps. Overall attendance was around 300. Other events organized by NAS/NAE/IOM on 6-8 August in Washington DC and New York, were designed to further connect the participants from the national science academies of Africa with a wide range of potential partners, including foundations, development agencies and banks, non-governmental organizations, and private sector entities engaged in building capacity and infrastructure in Africa. Further details and summary material, including follow-up actions, will be prepared in due course.
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