Science at the US-Africa Leaders Summit

The UN Biodiversity Conference (Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)), the Tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP-MOP 10), and the Fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (NP-MOP 4) in Kunming, China is being held in two parts.

The conference will see the adoption of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. The framework provides a strategic vision and a global roadmap for the conservation, protection, restoration and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystems for the next decade.

The lead-up to the Conference and related meetings provides the global community with further opportunities to galvanize efforts at all levels to build a better future in harmony with nature and to continue efforts to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

The main objective of the Conference is to adopt the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. Draft One of the framework, released in July 2021, builds on lessons learned from the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets. It recognizes that urgent policy action globally, regionally and nationally is required to transform economic, social and financial models so the trends that have exacerbated biodiversity loss will stabilize by 2030 and allow for the recovery of natural ecosystems, with net improvements by 2050.

Moderated by: Justin Bryant, J.D.
Secretary, People-Centered Internet

In recent years, digital regulations to address the areas of data protection, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and more have been passed in a variety of African countries. However, there has been considerable discussion about the processes by which some of these regulations have been introduced, the lack of stakeholder consultation in the process, enforcement issues, and whether policies are sufficiently tailored to contextual needs and phenomena.

This panel will feature several experts who have contended with a variety of these regulations and observed ongoing trends to discuss whether individual countries, as well as the continent overall, should stay the course or consider a course change.

The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It has jurisdiction over non-defense federal scientific research and development. More specifically, the committee has complete jurisdiction over the following federal agencies: NASA, NSF, NIST, and the OSTP. The Committee also has authority over R&D activities at the Department of Energy, the EPA, FAA, NOAA, the DOT, the NWS, the DHS and the U.S. Fire Administration

Participation in this meeting is in person by invitation only; this meeting will not be accessible on line.

The American Society for Microbiology is a life sciences society composed of more than 30,000 scientists, educators and health professionals. ASM's mission is to promote and advance the microbial sciences. ASM advances the microbial sciences through conferences, publications, certifications and educational opportunities. It enhances laboratory capacity around the globe through training and resources. It provides a network for scientists in academia, industry and clinical settings. Additionally, ASM promotes a deeper understanding of the microbial sciences to diverse audiences.

ASM is convening an event to discuss the role of microbiology in catalyzing strengthened health systems in Africa and the role of US-Africa partnerships in achieving this outcome. Speakers will include US Government officials, as well as industry and NGOs.

Location: 

Online (Zoom Link): https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85704439367pwd=REZkRThNc2RrY1BSWUJNTmc2NWQ5Zz09&from=addon
Physical Participation: Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania - 1232 22nd St NW Washington, D.C. 20037

Registration for Participation (online-virtual/physical): https://scienceusafricaleaders.sched.com/signup
Contact Details

• Prof. Appolinary Kamuhabwa: enali2012@gmail.com, akamuhabwa@muhas.ac.tz 
• Prof. Julie Makani: jmakani@blood.ac.tz
• Embassy of Tanzania to the USA: ubalozi@tanzaniaembassy-us.org 
• Declan Kirrane: declan.kirrane@iscintelligence.com 
• Sickle Cell Programme: pm@blood.ac.tz

ISC in collaboration with the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) - SickleInAfrica and the Tanzanian Embassy to the United States of America, will hold a scientific session to address Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). The session will build on the previous discussions during the December 2021 session on Tanzania-US Partnership for Health and Health Services and the Science Summit session during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2022. The session will focus on SCD (an inherited disease of the haemoglobin(Hb) molecule of the red blood cell) due to its high prevalence globally, with the highest burden in the African region. Significant novel preventive and therapeutic approaches are available. However, the African region with the highest burden has continued to be left behind. Key Objectives. The session will focus on

1. Partnerships in education and training to foster institutional collaborations that allow for basic and advanced training opportunities such as Postdoctoral fellowships and faculty exchanges.

2. Discuss the strategy for financing and investing in scientific research and the translation of discoveries to improve care for patients with SCD, focusing on advancing curative therapies like gene therapy and bone marrow transplantation.

3. Showcase the need for strengthening pre-existing manufacturing infrastructures in the continent and scaling up through meaningful collaborations in which complementary areas of expertise can be merged, resources combined, and risks shared to support sustainable local production of medicines such as Hydroxyurea.

4. Elucidate the critical role of politicians and policy-makers in developing and implementing policies to address SCD through sustainable strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and comprehensive and curative healthcare.

Target audience

Multi-disciplinary stakeholders are working to address SCD at country, regional, and global levels. Participants are anticipated to include scientists, patient advocates, healthcare providers, policy-makers and other government officials, researchers, Industry, NGOs, philanthropies, and multilateral health and research organizations. 

Agenda

Tuesday, December 13

08:30 – 12:30 EST     Moderator, Nesia Mahenge
09:00 - 09:15 am (EST)         Opening Session 

• Welcome Remarks
• Prof. Appolinary KamuhabwaVice-Chancellorhancellor – Academic, Research and Consultancy (DVC-ARC), Muhimbili University of Health (MUHAS), Tanzania  
• Official Opening Remarks
• Hon. Ummy Mwalimu, Minister, Ministry of Health, Tanzania

09:15 - 10:00 am (EST)         Session 1: Strategic Global Partnership: 

• Topic: Partnership in Health, Research and Training to advance knowledge and care for SCD
• Speakers
• NIH Fogarty International Centre (TBC) 
• Prof. Emmanuel Balandya, Director of Postgraduate Studies Muhimbili University of Health (MUHAS), Tanzania; Site Principal Investigator, SPARCO Tanzania
• Dr. Jonathan Spector, Head of Global Health Strategy and Access to Innovation; Novartis Institutes for Bio-medical Research      

10:00 - 10:30 am        Session 2: Enabling Environment

• Topic: Inclusive Policies for SCD to reduce costs and support comprehensive patient care
• Speakers
• Prof. Paschal Rugajo, Director of Curative Services, Ministry of Health, Tanzania
• Prof. Lewis Hsu, Chief Medical Officer, Sickle Cell Disease Association, USA       
• Arafa Salim, Executive Director, Sickle Cell Disease Patients Community, Tanzania

10:30 - 11:40 am (EST)         Session 3: Sustainability

• Topic: Financing and Investments in research to ensure sustainable advances in SCD 
• Speakers
• Prof. Mohamed Janabi, Executive Director, Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH), Tanzania     
• Dr. Gene Bukhman, Co-Chair, NCDI Poverty Network, Associate Professor of Medicine; and Global Health and Social Medicine, USA           
• Prof. Julie Makani, Associate Professor, MUHAS; Principal Investigator, Sickle Cell Programme and SPARCO CCC, Tanzania   
• Dr. Francis Collins, Former Director of The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), USA

11:40 am - 12:10 pm (EST)   Session 4: Manufacturing in Africa

• Topic: How to increase access and reduce financial costs for essential medicines and novel therapies, including gene and cell therapy?
• Speakers
• Dr. Grace Moshi, Senior Consultant, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Singapore            
• Dr. Cissy Kityo, Executive Director, Joint Clinical Research Centre, Uganda
• Dr. Rimas Orentas, Co-Founder and Board Chair; Scientific Director, Caring Cross, Inc. USA           
• 
  

12:10 - 12:30 pm (EST)         Closing Session

• Speakers
• NIH-NHLBI: SCD Network in Africa, CITRIS & Cure Sickle Cell Initiative (TBC)           
• Prof. Olufunmilayo (Funmi) Olopade, Co-Chair, SickleInAfrica. USA    
• Closing Remarks by H.E Ambassador, Prof. Kennedy G. Gastorn, Permanent Representative of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United Nations, New York, USA       

Science for Climate Resilient food systems in Africa

The state of Africa’s agriculture and its vulnerability to climate risk is an ongoing matter of importance, not only for the continent but the global world. Climate change-related hazards such as drought, shifting patterns of pests and disease incidence, and the reduction of areas suitable for agricultural production threaten agricultural and food systems and affect the food security status of millions of people on the African continent. These challenges impact peace and stability on the continent and the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals.

Agricultural Research and Innovation play a pivotal role in developing climate-resilient food systems and enabling Africa to reduce the agricultural productivity gap and deliver on the SDGs.

The session will showcase some of the key scientific innovations emerging from Agricultural Research organizations in Africa and also in collaboration with global North partners. In addition, the session will identify the key priorities to accelerate the science-led climate-resilient food systems in Africa.
Speakers are expected to be very deliberate in highlighting the key achievements as well as amplifying high-impact needs for accelerating agricultural science on the continent. The enabling policy and regulatory environment will also be addressed.

About AIMS
The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) is a Pan-African Network Centre of Excellence for postgraduate training, research, and public engagement in mathematical sciences. Founded in 2003 in South Africa and later replicated in Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, and Rwanda under the framework of the Next Einstein Initiative, AIMS is supplying the STEM pipeline by training African students for a Master's in Mathematical Sciences, including a co-op option with a direct link to industry. Students admitted at AIMS benefit from full scholarships and close interaction with tutors and professors worldwide. AIMS has trained 2500 young scientists over the past two decades. The faculty comprises volunteer professors from the best universities globally, including Nobel Prize and Fields Medal laureates. With expertly tailored academic and non-academic programs spanning Centres of Excellence, Research Centres, the AIMS Industry Initiative, and gender-responsive Teacher Training.


Abstract
"If you are planning for a year, sow rice; planning for a decade, plant trees; if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people." - Chinese proverb.

Africa, its people, and its leaders continually battle the double challenge of achieving SDG targets and adapting to climate change. More than 30% of primary-school-age girls remain out of school in Sub-Sahara Africa. Also, Africa's contribution to global scientific knowledge stands at 1.1%. Consequently, Africa's ratio of scientists and inhabitants currently stands at 79 scientists per million inhabitants, the lowest. Also, scientists trained in Africa often work elsewhere due to the lack of infrastructure and availability of resources. To meet the demands of a teaming young population at the centre of the world's pressing challenges, including the food crisis, flooding, and economic downturn – there is a need for deliberate action through multilateralism and global effort to restore hope and enable growth. Thus, AIMS seeks to leverage the US-Africa Leader's Summit to push for a resolution and legislation to back its #InclusiveAccess agenda in Climate Change, Health, and Economic Progress.

This session will also feature AIMS Alumni leading African Scientific Excellence in Academia, Industry, and Non-profit work.

Expected outcomes
The expected outcomes of this session include the following;

1. An appreciation of the growth opportunities in enabling scientific excellence and training in Africa.
2. AIMS Impact in the mitigating the impact of COVID-19, Climate Crisis and Improving Health Outcomes.
3. Awareness of the value proposition of AIMS and how our alums are changing the way we see our world.
4. Amplify the need for innovative financing in funding education across Africa.

Agenda

11:00 am - Welcome Address & Premiering of Wajenzi (Science in Africa Movie)
11: 35 am - Reflection on Science in Africa Movie
11: 40 am - Africa at the forefront of Championing Scientific Excellence - Case of the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences
12:00 pm - Roundtable discussion with alumni & participants
12:30 pm - End

ISC and partners will organise a series of online events under the heading Science at the US-Africa Leaders Summit 2022, taking place in Washington on 12-15 December 2022. The main goal of the virtual Summit is to highlight the role and contribution of science to the US-Africa relationship.

The objectives of the events will be to highlight the importance of science in Africa, to foster greater collaboration between African nations and the US, and to increase investment in science for Global Health, Digital Transition, Space, Biological Diversity, Education and Skills, among other areas and to support an enabling policy and regulatory environment for science collaboration to flourish between Africa and the US.

A session on genomics will be part of the dialogue and will inform outputs through thought leadership, evidence, insights, analysis, and innovation. In line with the goals of the US-Africa Leaders Summit 2022 the event will delve into key issues, including:
. the economic impact of genomics;
. challenges and opportunities for human rights in the postgenomic era;
. sustainable surveillance and risk-mitigation approach to future infectious disease threats beyond COVID-19;
. accelerating access to genomics in Africa for regional and global health;
. genomics and future food security;
. genomics, data security risks and international security;
. genomics and climate change;
. importance of African population genetics in human history, health, and disease.

The meeting will engage policymakers, members of industry, academics, scientists and civil society from both regions offering a unique learning environment as well as exclusive networking opportunities.

Africa is enormous, with over 1.4 billion people spread over an area of 30,370,000 km2. By 2050 the population will exceed 2 billion, from many diverse cultures and with over 2,000 languages. The continent is confronting problems meeting basic human needs: clean water, ready supplies of food, equality in provision of health care and educational resources, and more. These challenges can partly be addressed using space technologies to enable tele-health, tele-education, environmental management, and data for immediate changes and future planning.  

Hosted by the Alliance for Collaboration in Exploration of Space (ACES Worldwide), this session will address satellite technologies, current and future, serving Africa in the context of joint US/African cooperation. In the spirit of the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit, the speakers are experts in using satellites for real-time disaster relief, telemedicine, tele-education, and provision of low-cost broadband services throughout Africa. Each speaker will address what is working now, what space technologies are still needed, and plans to meet those requirements on an urgent basis.

Office of International Science and Engineering at the National Science Foundation (NSF) invites you to a session on Wednesday, 14th Dec 2022, 3:00 pm-4:30 pm/15:00-16:30 EST at the virtual link below.

Dr Kendra Sharp, Office Head for the Office of International Science and Engineering, will welcome the Delegates to NSF.

The session will introduce NSF’s mission and vision for supporting science, decision-making processes for funding science and scientific domains to the participants. It will then explore ways that US and African partnerships can nurture international scientific engagement that enhances research, education, scientific networks and opportunities for workforce development.

The session will end with a question and answer session with both virtual and in-person attendees.

Speakers include:
Hendratta Ali Program Director in Hydrologic Science in the Division of Earth Sciences
Wenda Bauchspies Program Director in the Office of International Science and Engineering
Samy El-Shall Program Director in Chemistry in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate
Kwabena Gyimah-Brempong Program Director in the Social and Economic Sciences in Social, Behavioral and Economic Directorate
Abiodun Ilumoka, Program Director in the Division of Undergraduate Education in STEM Education Directorate
Kemi Ladeji-Osias Program Director in the Division of Engineering Education & Centers in the Engineering Directorate
George Richter-Addo Program Director in Chemistry in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate

The in-person part of the program will be hosted at National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

The Committee on Science, Space, and Technology is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. It has jurisdiction over non-defense federal scientific research and development. More specifically, the committee has complete jurisdiction over the following federal agencies: NASA, NSF, NIST, and the OSTP. The Committee also has authority over R&D activities at the Department of Energy, the EPA, FAA, NOAA, the DOT, the NWS, the DHS and the U.S. Fire Administration

Africa-US astronomy collaboration towards IAU-GA2024 and building a legacy

Motivated by hosting the International Astronomical Union General Assembly (IAU-GA) in 2024 for the first time on African soil in the over 100 years of the IAU, the African Astronomy community has come together to work on a shared vision towards 2024. The success of current developments and foundations for the future can be attributed to the increase in collaborations between various organisations and countries.

Several astronomy projects and programmes are of interest to communities in Africa and the US, and there is a need for discussions to strengthen collaborations as one way to ensure sustainable development and solutions.
 
This session offers an opportunity for interactions between existing and potential Africa-US collaborators to stimulate and explore mutually beneficial options that may arise between Africa and the US in light of the IAU-GA2024, as well as the opportunity to promote sustained collaborations between partners from the US and African countries and cultivate the expertise that forms a core component of knowledge-based economies with astronomy as a key driver.

The discussions will bring together the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) and the American Astronomical Society (AAS) and will also aim to encourage the participation and representation of both communities during the IAU-GA2024 and use this as a starting point to stimulate collaborative research and innovation in astronomy, and focus on astronomy for development and, outreach & education activities.

08:00
Opening Remarks:
Charles Takalana (Co-Chair: IAU-GA2024 National Organising Committee)
 
08:05
Road to the IAU-GA2024 and Legacy for Astronomy in Africa
Vanessa McBride  (Co-Chair: IAU-GA2024 National Organising Committee) – 10 min
 
08:15
Astronomy for Development
 
Office of Astronomy for Development: Africa-US synergies
Kevin Govender, Director (IAU-OAD) – 10 min
 

North American Regional Office of Astronomy for Development (NAROAD)
Tim Spuck, Director (NAROAD) - 10 min   
 
08:35
Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS)
Nic Erasmus (SAAO) – 10 min
 
08:45
The Southern African Large Telescope (Africa-US context)
Brian Chaboyer, Chair: SALT Board  (SALT) – 10 min
 
Vera C. Rubin Observatory - Legacy Survey of Space and Time: Africa and the potential for good phase and time coverage of transient discoveries
David Buckley, Researcher (SALT) – 10 min
 
Africa-US Synergies – Cooperation between the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) and the American Astronomical Society (AAS)
Grant Tremblay, Vice President (AAS) - 10 min
Thebe Medupe, President (AfAS) & Charles Takalana, Head of Secretariat (AfAS) - 10 min
  
09:25
Discussions and Resolutions,
E.g. topics:
Astronomy schools in Africa
The Fulbright programme
Funding instruments
Access to opportunities
Skills development
Infrastructure support and development
Visas and mobility

“For the first time in decades, the number of people without access to electricity is set to increase in 2022”
The challenge is most severe in Sub-Saharan Africa where nearly 600 million people lack access to electricity. Current IEA forecasts raise concerns about meeting SDG7 -Universal access to clean, reliable and affordable energy for Africa. There is no pathway to net zero carbon by 2050 without universal access.
In 2013 when Power Africa was launched there were over 600 million people in Africa without access to electricity. Despite impressive efforts by the U.S., the EU and international organizations and agencies including the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and numerous other agencies, there are still an estimated 600 million people without access to electricity in 2022. Rapid population growth also grows the size of the access deficit. Blocks to progress include crises – COVID19, Russia’s War in Ukraine and its global impacts, regional conflicts, and rising toll of climate change related disasters. Forecasts by the IEA for 2030 show that by 2030 there will still be 600 million people in Africa without access to electricity and with little opportunity for development.
Access to reliable and affordable energy is necessary for subsequent economic, educational and social development. With climate change and multiple crises underway or emerging it needs to be one of the highest priorities to enable access to electricity for all people in Africa. Access to electricity creates the capacity to pay for electrical power and the services made possible by reliable and affordable energy. The people of Africa without access will be able to pay for it. It does not have to be a gift from donor countries.
The education and information technologies now exist to create the capacity for universal access to reliable, sustainable and affordable energy across Sub-Saharan Africa.  Working together – the U.S. and the EU with African partners can create the capacity in Africa to assure universal access by 2030.  Ten times the goal set by president Obama in 2013 is now possible through international cooperation.
The UN has developed the Energy Compact program where states, regions, companies, international organizations, NGOs and cities commit to achieve SDG7 by 2030 within their sphere of action. If there were a US-AU-EU partnership with an Energy Compact with a strategy and roadmap for the partnership to achieve universal access for Africa to affordable, clean, reliable, and sustainable energy could be achieved.
The Power Africa partnership would aim to achieve ten times the result envisioned fo the Power Africa initiative at its start in 2013.  This is now possible due to the dramatic reductions in solar energy and wind and as well as control and energy storage technologies. Additionally advanced information technologies have emerged to enable effective solutions to complex development, health care, and education challenges that were not available in 2013. Kenya has emerged as a global leader for AI technologies that can be applied to the complexities of development in environments with minimal modern infrastructures. Health care in Nigeria is challenged by a severe brain drain of doctors and other medical professions.  Space technologies with satellite mega constellations can now deliver health care information to remote sites – but they must have access to electricity to use the technology.
The ANSOLE Energy Compact
ANSOLE (African Network for Solar Energy) is a pan-African network of universities, research centers, NGOs, community organizations including religious organizations that is addressing the critical need to build research, innovation, and energy technology implementation capacity by local communities. ANSOLE works with European, American, Canadian, African and other partners to advance solar energy research, technology development and community level deployment. The ANSOLE Energy Compact lays out a roadmap with clearly defined milestones to build the human capacity required to enable development and deployment of sustainable energy solutions in Africa.
This session will explore the potential of an Energy Compact for a U.S.-Africa-Europe partnership to drive achievement of universal access to electricity in Africa by 2030.

“The United States knows that, on most of the urgent challenges and opportunities we face, Africa will make the difference. We can’t achieve our goals around the world – whether that’s ending the COVID-19 pandemic, building a strong and inclusive global economy, combating the climate crisis, or revitalizing democracy and defending human rights – without the leadership of African governments, institutions, and citizens . . . The United States firmly believes that it’s time to stop treating Africa as a subject of geopolitics – and start treating it as the major geopolitical player it has become.” Antony j. Blinken, US Secretary of State https://www.state.gov/u-s-africa-enduring-partnership/

The US- African Leaders Summit, dubbed "US-Africa Enduring Partnership", scheduled in Washington D.C., 12-16 Dec 2022, will look at shaping A New Partnership between the United States of America and Africa in the following key areas;

• Economic Cooperation and Development
• Youth Engagement
• Security, Peace and Stability
• Health Cooperation and 
• Climate Change or Environmental Issues 

Africa has all that the world needs to sustain development – Human and Natural resources, especially the ballooning Youth population (642 .4 million – 49.4% of the African population is below 24 years of Age and i.1.14 million, about 87.7% of the population is below 49years) and Africa’s population is estimated to reach 2.5 billion by 2050 and Minerals Resources. Africa is endowed with mineral resources – as the world moves in the Transition Era, the US needs Critical Minerals, and Africa has them, Africa can be the food basket for the increasing population of the world with her vast unexploited arable land, etc

Africa is deepening her integration agenda for accelerating industrialisation, boosting intra-African Trade, creating jobs for the huge youth population and, above all to achieve sustainable levels of inclusive growth and social and economic structural transformation. While the world has moved into digital economies, most of the African countries are still Least Developed and factor Driven Economies that need to at least move into Technological, Innovation Driven economies.

History has shown that Africa has not benefited from any US- Africa Partnership in the past. The visible example is the African Opportunity Act, enacted on 18 May 2000 as Public Law 106 of the 200th Congress as an 8- year Trade and Investment Framework, then extended to 15 years but George Bush, which has since been extended several times, but which has not fully benefited Africa.

The challenge has been how to position herself to take advantage of external partnerships. As African leaders meet the United States leadership to engage in discussions for a partnership between the two spheres, there is a need to address issues that hinder Africa from benefiting from such Partnerships - there are a number of these challenges, but the following are critical and need to be addressed:

• Africa needs to engage with one voice – as a United Africa. On 1st January 2021, Africa launched trading under the African Continental Free trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), which brings all 55 African Union member States to trade as ONE

Coherent Policies African Countries, whether sovereign or regionally, have not put in place policies that support the kind of Partnership between a Superpower and 55 fragmented Countries. In this case, the US has used a kind of cherry-picking engagement with selected African countries,

• Investing in key sectors that would stimulate or propel foreign investments that would spur inclusive growth and sustainable development for Africa. These investments include investing in the Youth for skills development, science and technology, investing in Infrastructure (transport and energy), investing in Innovation, Research and Development, among others
• Insecurity – Africa is a home of internal conflicts that could be avoided given regional integration blocks – African Leadership has not focused on eliminating these non-ideological conflicts that are fuelled by the illicit trade in mineral resources,
• Environmental degradation- while the world is seeking to reduce Carbon emissions, Africa continues to attract investments in the Mineral resource sector that destroy the environment

The MADI Session will focus on how African Leaders could position Africa to benefit from the US-Africa Partnership that will be reached during the Summit. An Enduring – US-Africa Partnership should be mutually beneficial and a Win-Win – for all. The Session will mainly focus on a mutually beneficial US-Africa Partnership through the exploitation of mineral resources for greening the US.

The need for the establishment of an Africa based high-end diagnostic test manufacturing facility convened by antrum biotech 
 
PANEL MEMBERS:
Khilona Radia, Philippa Randall, Nick Bright, Giffin Daughtridge, Precious Motsoso, Azhee Akinrin (Moderator)
Antrum Biotech are pioneering the design, development and manufacturing of high-end, niche diagnostics in Africa for Africa.

IRISA-TB, one of the flagship innovations developed on African soil, is set to redefine the gold standard for diagnosing Extra-Pulmonary TB. It fills an unmet clinical need in diagnostic testing for tuberculosis and is proving to positively impact on the drive to End TB by 2030 (UN Goals) and most importantly, patients suffering from extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.

In the pipeline are several exciting products to improve the diagnosis of Tuberculosis as well as other infectious diseases adversely affecting the continent.

There is a great need to establish diagnostic manufacturing facilities on the continent to better control the costs of the manufacturing process and to supply cost-effective products to Africa with a greater sense of supply-chain security.

This session will discuss the various challenges and explore potential solutions to developing manufacturing capacity on the continent.

The Goal is For Africa to provide solutions for Africa and Antrum Biotech is at the vanguard of this movement.

Communities across Africa face an exceptional range of challenges: Climate patterns shift and natural hazards increase, threats to physical and digital security grow in sophistication and scope, financial systems evolve toward greater complexity and often decentralization, food security concerns mount, and trustworthy information becomes increasingly difficult to identify. This panel will explore how diverse African communities can anticipate, withstand, and recover from these disruptions and then adapt to the "new normal" to emerge stronger. How does one prepare to "bounce forward better," rather than just "bouncing back" to the pre-disruption status quo?"  How can information and ICT (information and communications technologies) be integrated with other critical infrastructures, like power, transportation, agriculture, public health, etc., and critical issues, like climate change, education, governance, finance, etc. in order to best  contribute?

The panel members (in alphabetical order) are
- Mr. Chris Bitijula (DRC), CEO & Founder EnvoConsult Group
- Dr. Raymond Gilpin: Chief Economist and Head of Strategy, Regional Bureau for Africa, UNDP
- Ms. Shirley Martey Hargis (American citizen of Ghanian descent): non-resident fellow, Atlantic Council
- Ms. Nina Nelly Mobula, CEO and Founder, DRC Women Professional and Political Consultancy Services
- Mr.Brian Omwenga, Team Lead at Tech Innovators Network
- Mr. John Wharton: President, Global Connective Center, MG USA-ret
Moderator
- Dr. Linton Wells II: Vice Chair, People-Centered Internet (PCI

EU Commission proposal for European Health Data Space: implication for international research collaboration

The roundtable will discuss the proposal for a regulation introducing the European Health Data Space (EHDS). The European Commission published the proposal for a regulation introducing the EHDS on May 3 2022

The proposal aims to enable better exchange and access to different types of health data (such as genomics data, data from patient registries, electronic health records, etc.).
The Regulation is intended to create a common space where natural persons can control their data, enabling individuals to gain better digital access to their personal health data and support free movement - the primary use of data.

The Regulation is also designed for the secondary use of data, meaning that the EHDS makes it possible for researchers, innovators and policymakers to use the electronic health data of Europeans in a trusted and secure way for research purposes.

According to the related Communication Communication from the Commission - A European Health Data Space: harnessing the power of health data for people, patients and innovation, the European Health Data Space builds on the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the proposed Regulation on harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data (Data Governance Act). The special sensitivity of health data has been recognised and is addressed by the current proposal. The Commission also plans to adopt a proposal for a Cyber Resilience Act in 2022. This Act would set out the cybersecurity requirements for digital products and ancillary services. The security requirements set out in the European Health Data Space, notably as regards electronic health record systems, provide more specific requirements for the health sector, such as access control.

Other relevant legislation includes the AI Act and the Digital Market Act.

Draft Agenda - 16 Dec 2022. All times EST/ Washington DC

10h00 European Health Data Space (EHDS) Guillaume Byk European Commission, DG SANTE Health & Food Safety, Unit C1, Digital Health

10h15 Challenges and implications for the US David Peloquin, Ropes and Gray

10h30 Challenges and implications for Africa Julie Makani, Professor in the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), Tanzania

10h45 A consideration of the GDPR and the EHDS Rita Lawlor

11h00 Trust as a basis for innovation Kurt Zatloukal, Medical University Graz, Austria

11h15 Amendments to the Commission's proposal – All

12h00 Plan for meeting European Parliament Rapporteurs, Brussels, Feb 2023