RECENT ACTIVITIES, NOV 2024

We are pleased to announce our participation in the Annual Meeting of African Science Academies (AMASA 2024) from November 26-28 in Algiers, Algeria. The theme is “Resources, Science and Technology for Development in Africa.” Our KNAS President and Editor in Chief are in attendance, contributing to vital discussions on  advancing science and technology in Africa.

Titled “A Science and Policy Interface and Dialogue at the Time of Global Transformations”, WSF2024 attracted 1,200 delegates among the KNAS President Prof. Ratemo W. Michieka from 122 countries, who joined sessions and roundtable discussions including 100 lectures in 19 plenary and thematic sessions over four days on 20-23 November, with the aim of overcoming the present limits of the wide-scale implementation of science-based policy measures on a global level. The next Forum will be held in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2026, and will be titled “Science for Global Resilience and Equity”

Since its inception, the Academy has been a leader in supporting evidence-based policy, building capacity for members and stakeholders, and improving productivity in the country's economic sectors. It is long overdue for the Academy to adopt a management tool, specifically a strategic plan. The Strategic Plan 2024-2028, launched on November 14, 2024, at Nairobi Safari Club, is the Academy's first five-year strategy, focusing on eight key areas: Advocacy and Advisory, Governance, Membership Engagement, Communication and Outreach, Institutional Resources and Capacity, Partnership and Collaboration, Emerging and Contemporary Issues, and Knowledge Dissemination. These areas were identified through a situational analysis conducted by the Academy. Through monitoring, evaluation, and learning, the Academy will document lessons learned to inform corrective actions and ensure the implementation of the Strategic Plan stays on course. The projected financial requirements for the Academy over the next five years are outlined in the Strategic Plan, which aims to build an internationally recognized Academy of Science. The launch event was attended by Mr. James Mwangi Kiburi, Director Local Universities, Administrative Services and Projects representing Dr. Julius Migos Ogamba, Cabinet Secretary, the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Dr. Dan Gigonyo, an interventional cardiologist from The Karen Hospital, and the KNAS Governing Council, led by Prof. Ratemo W. Michieka, President.

The Kenya National Academy of Sciences (KNAS) held its 11^th Scientific Revival Day of Africa (SRDA) conference on November 14-15, 2024, at the Nairobi Safari Club in Nairobi. The conference, themed "Climate Change, Environment, and Health," included three sub-themed sessions: Climate and Environment Nexus; Implications on Toxicity and Health; and Policies and Interventions. It aimed to foster scientific discourse and research addressing Kenya's challenges, bringing together participants from universities, government agencies, research institutions, and NGOs. The event began with welcome remarks from Academy President Professor Ratemo Waya Michieka, FKNAS, emphasizing the importance of scientific evidence in informing policy related to climate change, environment, and health. The guest of honor, Dr. Julius Migos Ogamba, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Education, represented by Mr. James Mwangi Kiburi, Director Local Universities, Administrative Services and Projects, highlighted the conference’s role in promoting collaboration between scientists and policymakers for developing adaptive strategies for environmental sustainability and public health. Keynote speaker Dr. Dan K. Gikonyo, an interventional cardiologist from The Karen Hospital and former lecturer at the University of Nairobi Medical School, delivered a talk titled “Climate Change and Environment: Effects on Health.” Other presenters included Mr. Wycliffe M. Kengere (Senior Meteorologist, KMD/MHC), Dr. Catherine Mbaisi (Deputy Director, Environmental Education at NEMA), Danube Ngongang (MSc. Research Fellow, Stockholm Environment Institute – Africa Center), Dr. James Mwitari (KEMRI), Dr. Anthony Mveyange (Director of Programs, African Population and Health Research Center), and Dr. Julius Kirimi Simdi (Program Manager, African Population and Health Research Center). The SRDA 2024 conference was sponsored by the Ministry of Education, the Kenya National Research Fund, the African Population and Health Research Center, and the Stockholm Environment Institute