ACE – ACE – Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence

November 9, 2021December 2, 2021

Strengthening Agricultural Research and Partnerships through ACE Impact Project

Agriculture and its importance to Africa

Considered to be the backbone of economic systems of developing countries, agriculture is the mainstay of several African economies, underpinning their food security, export earnings, rural development, and economic stability. Given the enormous importance of Agriculture to Africa’s economic development, the ACE Impact project prioritizes agriculture and has it as one of the five broad thematic areas being supported by the project.

According to a report by the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) 2020, agriculture’s contribution to GDP in Africa is at an average of 35%. Additionally, Africa achieved the highest rate of growth in agricultural production value (crops and livestock), the highest in the world, expanding by 4.3% per year between 2000 and 2018. This figure is roughly double that of the prior three decades (AGRA, 2020). Again, across Sub-Saharan Africa, the agricultural sector employs a proportion of the labor force and supplies the bulk of basic food, as well as provides subsistence and other income to a fraction of the population. It is noted that significant progress in promoting economic growth, reducing poverty, and enhancing food security cannot be achieved in most developing countries without enhancing the potential human and productive capacity of the agricultural sector and enhancing its contribution to overall economic and social development. A strong and vibrant food and agricultural system thus forms a primary pillar in the strategy of overall economic growth and development.

Extensive research continues to be conducted, examining ways of enhancing the agricultural sector as a means of improving its socio-economic benefits. In line with this, current trends in agricultural research have focused on plant breeding, food security and technology, agribusiness, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), animal science, among others.

The African Union’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) posits that the Agric sector offers the greatest potential for poverty and inequality reduction, as it provides sources of productivity from which the most disadvantaged people working in the sector should benefit. As a result, national and private investments are being directed toward the development of agriculture within the region.

ACE Impact Contributions to Agriculture

The project has seven Agric-oriented centers in six countries (Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo) focusing on areas including Food Security and Nutrition, Livestock and Poultry Science, Food Technology and Research, Dryland Agriculture, Crop Improvement, Climate Change/ Biodiversity, and Agricultural Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Click here to see ACE Impact agriculture centres:

Food Technology and Research(CEFTER); Regional Center of Excellence on Poultry Sciences (CERSA); African Center of Excellence in Agriculture for Food and Nutrition Security (CEA-AGRISAN) based at Cheikh Anta Diop University; West African Crop Improvement Center of Excellence (WACCI), Legon University, Ghana; – The Centre of Excellence Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA) at the University of Bayero, Kano, Nigeria; African Centre of Excellence on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture (CEA- CCBAD) of the University Félix Houphouët Boigny; ACE: Pastoral Productions: Meat, Milk, Leather and Skins, Université Abdou Moumouni.

Overall, the ACE Impact Agric focused centres have been undertaking impactful research (leading to the publication of 343 Research findings in high impact journals, and still counting), collaborating with international, regional and national institutions to innovate and to strengthen Agriculture’s contribution to their national and regional economies, among others. Below are some key achievements of the Agric ACEs:

Food for West Africa Network

In line with strengthening Inter-ACE collaborations, various thematic networks have been created under the ACE Impact Project. The Food for West Africa (FOOD4WA) is one of eight thematic networks established with the aim of advancing collaboration on cutting-edge research, to address food insecurity challenges within the region. The network’s objectives are:

To establish a network between faculty and students from the participating ACEs
Create a coordination of research on priority themes related to food security
Communicate the results of research and innovation through conferences and symposia involving key actors in the agricultural sector
Create a digital platform

The network is expected to involve agriculture stakeholders within the region to strengthen food security, improve quality in agricultural products, train to increase the number of skilled agricultural workers and researchers and to develop innovative agricultural techniques to improve agricultural yields.

July 16, 2020

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS SPECIALIST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT SELECTION)

Country Regional / Ghana

Project Title Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE Impact)

GRANT No. D4293

Project ID No. P164546

Assignment Title: Consultancy Services for the engagement of Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialist at the Regional Facilitation Unit of the Association of African Universities

Reference No.: GH-AAU-81649-CS-INDV

The Association of African Universities has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the First Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence for Development Impact Projects (ACE Impact 1 and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

Objectives of the assignment

The main objective the consultancy is to support and strengthen Safeguards due diligence of the Regional Facilitating Unit in ensuring compliance with World Banks Safeguards Policies and relevant National Environmental and social laws of participating countries of the ACE Impact Project.

The consultant shall provide clear, comprehensive and practical guidance to the RFU, country focal points (government representatives responsible for coordinating at the national level) and universities on integrating an environmental / social due diligence process from the prepared ESMF and site specific ESMPs during the specific ACE project implementation.

The detailed Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment can be found by clicking on the link below:

https://blog.aau.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/TOR-for-Engagement-of-ES-Consultant-for-RFU.docx

The Association of African Universities now invites eligible individuals (“Consultants”) to indicate their interest in providing the Services.

Competency and Expertise

Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

The shortlisting criteria are:

At least Masters’ degree in Environment or Natural Resources Management or Social Sciences or related disciplines
At least ten (10) years’ working experience in environmental and social assessment for development projects
Possession of relevant professional qualifications in Environmental issues
Familiarity World Bank’s safeguard policies and procedures
Fluency in English and French and ability to write and present in these languages.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016 and revised in November 2017, and August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”), setting forth the World Bank’s policy on conflict of interest available on this link http://pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/178331533065871195/Procurement-Regulations.pdf .

Individual consultants will be selected will be selected in accordance with the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016 and revised in November 2017, and August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”).

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours 0900 to 1700 hours.

Expression of Interest

Interested individual Consultants must provide information (Detailed CV, cover letter and relevant educational and professional qualification documentation) indicating that they are qualified to perform the services for the specific position described above.

Expressions of interest must be delivered by registering using this link https://www.research.net/r/ESSSAce20 by Tuesday July 28, 2020

Contact:

Sylvia Mkandawire (Dr.) Program Manager ACE Impact

Association of African Universities

African Universities House, Trinity Avenue, East Legon, Accra, Ghana

P. O. Box AN 5744, Accra-North, Ghana

skandawire@aau.org

https://www.aau.org

May 8, 2020

STEE Produces Hand washing Equipment to Prevent COVID-19 Spread in the Gambia

Institutions under the Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE Impact) are contributing in diverse ways towards management of the COVID 19 pandemic. These contributions are in the form of production of personal protection equipment, sanitizers, hand washing equipment as well as scientific and transformative research. The Centre for Science, Technology and Engineering for Entrepreneurship (STEE) hosted by the Gambian Technical Institute Gambia has invested in the production of hand washing equipment for various institutions in the Gambia.
The equipment is named “Sawer” which in Wolof dialect means “Your Health.” An indication that hand washing is key to staying safe and healthy during these unsafe times of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The initial production of “Sawer” commenced with about 100 hand washing equipment to serve various institutions such as the Offices of the President and First Lady, the Ministries of Water Resources, Petroleum, Basic Secondary and Higher Education, among other notable institutions.
Sawer is a contact free mechanical equipment with unique features, easy to use and suitable for all ages. It is manufactured from quality and durable raw materials.

The Africa Centre of Excellence for Science, Technology and Engineering for Entrepreneurship (STEE) is one of the 53 academic centres in West Africa. The centre aims at improving Science and Engineering education within the sub region.

April 22, 2020

Dare to be different! Universities told by a leading tertiary education expert

Dr Jamil Salmi captivated participants from 56 African Higher Education Centres of Excellence (ACE) attending the annual ACE 1 and ACE IMPACT meeting in Dakar, Senegal from 23-27 September 2019.

During the plenary session on institutional impact for ACE IMPACT held on the 25th September 2019 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dr Salmi implored the Vice Chancellors to “dare to be different” in terms of how they led their universities.

He underscored the importance of building synergies across institutions and disciplines, breaking away from the structures and procedures of the past, building an enabling environment for creativity and innovation and promotion of genuine autonomy and full empowerment of staff.

Dr Salmi said that the road to academic excellence involved Vice Chancellors constantly challenging themselves and their teams – and continuously seeking to renew their institutions to keep improving. A very strong sense of urgency must be cultivated in order to make African universities stronger.

Disbursement Linked Indicator 7 (DLI 7)

The objective of this plenary session was to stimulate institutional engagement with Vice Chancellors/Rectors/Presidents and their ACE IMPACT Center, on disbursement linked indicator 7 (DLI 7) which focusses on Institutional Impact. The ACE IMPACT Project is results-based and tracks seven results that are connected to financial disbursements earnings. DLI 7 tracks four sub-results, namely:

Meaningful university-wide regional strategy
Open and merit-based selection of the head of university, head of department or dean
Institution-wide International Accreditation
Participation in PASET benchmarking exercise

DLI 7 gives flexibility for the ACE institutions to develop milestones based on their institutional needs and goals. University leadership is responsible for the implementation of DLI 7 and between 10-15 % of the ACE budget will be used to support institutional impact strengthening activities. Institutions with multiple centres are expected to develop a joint and coordinated plan for DLI 7.

The road to academic excellence….

Dr Salmi described the characteristics of a World-Class University as abundant resources (public budget resources, endowment revenues, tuition fees and research grants); concentration of talent (students, teaching staff and researchers) and favorable governance (leadership team, strategic vision, culture of excellence, autonomy, academic freedom and supportive regulatory frameworks). When these conditions are met, this leads to the production of top graduates, world class universities, leading-edge research and dynamic knowledge & technology transfer.

Are we investing enough?

The endowment of Harvard University is reported to be at US$35.7 billion – while 113 countries have Gross Domestic Products lower than Harvard’s endowment. Some US research universities receive up to 1 billion dollars in research grants annually. The situation is very different for the majority of African Universities – they are poorly funded.

Requirements to accelerate world-class African universities

Dr Salmi restated that inspirational leadership, vision and passion were vital to achieving academic excellence. Transformational leaders should facilitate capacity building through internationalization. African universities must become niche institutions offering niche programs. Attention must be paid to curriculum, pedagogical and managerial innovations. Strategic planning and benchmarking must be prioritized.

Words of caution

Dr Salmi warned against constructing the teaching facilities before designing the curriculum – the facilities must match the curriculum needs. University leaders must put in place favorable conditions to attract and keep talent because it is the people that will make a university world class. Leaders must avoid creating islands of excellence in a sea of mediocrity – excellence must be an institutional culture. It is important to invest with sustainability in mind – because projects come and go but the institution’s impact strategy must be sustained. Leaders must keep an eye on international rankings – whether we like it or not they affect us. Lastly leaders must avoid the danger of imitating other universities – they must remember that their institutions are unique.

Conclusion

In conclusion Dr Jamil Salmi emphasized that university leaders must “take the long view”, i.e. think about the things that might happen in the future rather than only about the things that are happening now. He also probed leaders to reflect on what they could learn from top soccer teams in terms of how they are run. He reminded the participants about a quotation from Daniel Lincoln that says: “excellence, like all things of abiding value, is a marathon, not a sprint”.

April 22, 2020November 29, 2020

The ACE 1 Project has kept its promise!

In her opening remarks at the ACE 1 and ACE IMPACT Regional Workshop in Dakar on the 24^th September 2019, Mrs. Himdat Bayusuf, Task Team Leader of the Africa Centers of Excellence (ACE1), stated that the “The ACE project has delivered on its promise with excellent results on the ground. The ACE project has succeeded is expanding post graduate education with at least 2000 PhD and 11000 MSc students enrolled in key priority sectors such as infectious diseases, maternal health, neglected tropical diseases, dry land agriculture, food security, water, climate change, sustainable mining, climate change, statistics; information and communication technology, materials science and engineering, just to name a few. Just as importantly, at least 30 percent of these students are females, signaling the importance of increasing female representation within the scientific fields and 30 percent of the students are from other countries within the region, highlighting the success in addressing regional higher education delivery. ACE has pushed the boundaries in terms of quality and relevance with at least 60 programs achieving international accreditation , up from a baseline of 3 at the start of the project. The ACEs have also shown the relevance of the science with centers achieving leveraging over $50 million from global competitive research grants and consultancies for their applied research work, clearly signaling the quality and relevance of the research topics being undertaken. Finally, we are proud to note that students at many of the ACEs will now benefit from state of the art labs, smart classrooms and new teaching and research equipment and resources.”

Madame Sophie Naudeau the Head of the Human Development Program in the Senegal World Bank office also added that the “ACE 1 project had kept its promise”. Madame Naudeau said that since its creation ACE 1 had improved regional integration, supported dynamic African Higher Education Institutions, achieved quality international standards, stimulated resource mobilization, promoted dynamism, innovation and progress for the African continent’s Higher Education sector.

The Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE) project is a results-based initiative of the World Bank being implemented in partnership with selected African governments to improve the quality of African Higher Education. The financing of the project is through a grant from the International Development Association – which are soft loans competitively provided to African countries whose universities meet the stringent criteria for selection. This ACE phase 1 project was launched in 2014 and focuses on 22 centres in 8 west and central African countries. Since then ACE phase 2 was launched for east and southern African countries – managed by the Inter-University Council of East Africa. This year phase 3 of the project (referred to as ACE IMPACT) was launched in Djibouti to include more countries in western and central Africa. The Association of African Universities is the regional facilitating Unit for both ACE 1 and ACE IMPACT. The role of the AAU is to support and monitor the implementation of the ACE 1 and ACE IMPACT projects in collaboration with the World Bank, the participating governments and universities. Earlier this year the French Development Agency (AFD) has joined the World Bank to provide funding to selected centres of Excellence under the ACE IMPACT Project.

When the ACE 1 project was conceptualized, the African Higher Education experts and partners agreed that ‘a regional approach to higher education in Africa’ offered the best way to build and sustain excellence. The argument was that a regional approach enabled ‘focusing on a few dynamic institutions with pockets of quality faculty that had already been responding innovatively by offering quality, fee-based, courses to students across west and central Africa’.

What was the promise of ACE 1?

In 2014 when the ACE 1 project was launched it promised to enhance regional specialization among participating west and central African universities in the areas that address regional challenges and strengthen the capacities of these universities to deliver quality training and applied research.

The ACE 1 project also promised to strengthen post-graduate programs for a regional student body; offer specialized courses for industry professionals in the region; establish a regional faculty body; improve faculty and attract additional top level faculty; provide learning resources, labs and minor rehabilitations of existing facilities; establish linkages with companies, government agencies and research centers for work-place learning input into the curricula, consultancies and joint research and collaborate with partner institutions to share the benefits of the investments, for example through training of faculty, sharing of curricula and sharing of learning resources.

The high-level impact promised by the project was to meet the labour market demands for skills within specific areas where there are skill shortages affecting development, economic growth and poverty reduction.

Key indicators have been tracked since 2014 to measure progress towards achieving the Project Development Objective. These include:

Number of national and regional students enrolled in new specialized short-term courses, and Master and PhD programs – to measure strengthened capacities
Number of regional students enrolled in new specialized short-term courses, and Master and PhD programs – to track regionality
Number of internationally accredited education programs – to track the quality of the training programmes
Number of students and faculty with at least 1-month internship in companies or institutions relevant to their field – to track training quality and address challenges
Amount of externally generated revenue by the ACEs – to track training and research quality

Evidence that the ACE 1 Project has kept its promise

During the September meeting in Dakar Mrs Adeline Addy, the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer from the Association of African Universities secretariat reported that there was a positive outlook on performance & grant disbursements as the ACE 1 project approaches closure in March 2020. Sixteen centres of excellence have earned above 80% of their total grants – the target being that by March 2020 all the grant funds would be fully disbursed. Four out of five project development objectives have been achieved and these are 30,259 total number of students trained; 12,062 number of regional students trained; 212 number of accredited programs and US$50,636,317 total external revenue mobilised by the participating centres.

Undoubtedly, the 22 ACE 1 centres have enhanced regional specialization in west and central Africa in the areas of agriculture, health, science, technology, engineering and mathematics to address regional challenges. These centres have been strengthened as regional centres in a diversity of fields of specialization that include, but are not limited to, genomics of infectious diseases, mines and environment, information and communication technology, poultry science, cell biology, materials science and climate science.

The capacities of the participating universities have been strengthened to deliver quality applied research – the evidence to support this is that on average, 25% of ACE publications are within the highest Cite Score percentile, indicating the high quality of the publications.

The capacities of the participating universities have also been strengthened to deliver quality training – this is evidenced by the fact that 57 internationally accredited programmes have been registered among the participating centres of excellence. In addition, 155 programmes have been accredited at either national or regional levels.

The reported number of 30,259 trained across the 8 participating west and central Africa countries leads us to infer that the ACE 1 project has significantly contributed towards the west and central Africa labour market demands for skills within specific areas where there were skill shortages affecting development and economic growth.

A pilot graduate students’ tracer study was recently conducted, and it received responses from 9 ACE 1 and 4 ACE 2 centres. The results further allude to the positive impact of the ACE initiative. The study focused on graduates’ satisfaction, relevance of the ACE programs and employability of the ACE graduates. The findings revealed that 96% of the respondents were satisfied with the quality of ACE teaching & learning. 88% were satisfied with the relevance and adequacy of internships programs. Concerning the relevance of the ACE programs, 98 % of the respondents indicated that the ACE programmes were relevant to labour market demands and 83% said that they would recommend ACE programs. Concerning employment, it was heartening to note that there was a 74% employment rate for ACE Graduates – with 46% ACE Graduates in full-time or related employment. 78% respondents said that they were satisfied with their jobs.

Conclusion

Even though more still needs to be done to support the strengthening of higher education institutions in west and central Africa – the ACE 1 project has meaningfully contributed towards responding to several challenges that were identified 2014.

Higher education in West and Central Africa was previously found to be under-developed and had been a low priority for the past two decades. Through the ACE 1 project, 8 countries have demonstrated their re-commitment to developing their higher education institutions.

The countries faced a shortage of human resources and capacity within Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) as well as agriculture and health disciplines. The ACE 1 project has strengthened specializations in the areas of agriculture, health and STEM, with 30,259 trained in these priority areas.

There were limited investments in higher education – and this meant that higher education institutions in west and central Africa were not capable of responding to the immediate skills needs or supporting sustained productivity-led growth in the medium term. The ACE 1 project has led to total investments of over USD250 million into the west and central Africa higher education sector.

Higher education in west and central Africa (and Africa as a whole) faced severe constraints in terms of attaining a critical mass of quality faculty. The ACE 1 project has facilitated the training of 3,583 faculty and 30,256 MSc and PhD students as well as delivering short courses.

A key lesson is on the importance of devising means of sustaining the financing for higher education through engagement of development partners, the private sector and governments. Governance and leadership have proved to be integral to the development of higher education systems that respond to the needs of the west and central African economies.

March 13, 2020

Vacancy- Project Coordinator

The African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID) hosted by the Redeemer’s University, Nigeria is recruiting for the position of Project Coordinator.

Centre Overview
The African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), based at Redeemer’s University Nigeria, is driving biomedical innovation at the leading edge of pathogen surveillance, diagnostics, and outbreak response. Established in 2013 and supported by the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) consortium and the World Bank, the ACEGID platform is building genomics pipelines, advancing our understanding of microbial threats, and training the next generation of African scientists how to identify, manage and control these pathogens.

Project Overview
ACEGID conducts clinical and laboratory research activities including the protocol on Severe Infectious Disease: Surveillance, Detection, Risks and Consequences in West Africa which develops descriptive, epidemiological results with sufficient host, pathogen, vector, and interaction information to allow hypothesis generation. Some of these studies involve the enrollment and follow-up of research participants.

Position Purpose
The Site Project Coordinator will be responsible for providing support, managerial oversight and coordination of the projects and ensure its smooth day-to-day operation. The incumbent will provide sufficient update of the operations, logistics and laboratory activities ongoing at the site. He/She will track the project milestones and manage the relationship between the project team, the leadership and the hospital management. The project coordinator will relate cordially with the study PIs, and ensure all potential risks and timelines are managed.

Key Responsibilities
Work with project staff to document and facilitate understanding of project plans and goals related to project scope, quality, timeline, and cost
Anticipate obstacles and implement mitigating strategies
Create plans for monitoring and reporting progress. Includes preparation periodic review reports for funding agencies and collaborators
Plan and track logistics for performance of studies
Actively work with collaborators to improve project infrastructure and management
Prepare, submit, and keep up-to-date all IRB/MTA/DUA approvals for projects
Oversee and keep up-to-date lab safety and human subjects certifications for research study staff
Oversee sample and data management and other project documentation
Implement and maintain quality control and assurance measures at the site
Monitor procurement and maintain financial oversight of on-site project spending

Key Requirements
University degree in a relevant field
2-3 years of site (facility) level coordination experience required
Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills
Must have the ability to interact with an interdisciplinary group including international collaborators,global health researchers, research scientists, and data analysts
Experience in global health or genetics desired
Experience in managing funder/sponsor relations desired

How to Apply

Attach a cover letter, a CV and any other relevant documents as a single file in pdf format titled with your full name, and send in a mail with ‘Site Project Coordinator’ as its subject to info.acegid@run.edu.ng

For more information, kindly visit https://acegid.org/job/site-project-coordinator/

October 6, 2019

Daily Summaries of ACE Events in Dakar

The Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence (ACE) Project organized its 11th and 2nd ACE I and ACE Impact workshops respectively. The events took place at the King Fahd and Radisson Blu hotels in Dakar, Senegal from September 24- 27, 2019. The workshop was preceded by Project Steering Committee meetings held on September 23 at the World Bank Office in Dakar. Below are summaries of the daily happenings.

Click to read September 23 & 24 summaries (English)

Click to read September 23 & 24 summaries (French)

Click to read September 25 summary (English)

Click to read September 25 summary (French)

Click to read September 26 & 27 summary ( French)

Click to read September 26 summary (English)

Click to read September 27 summary (English)

June 11, 2019

ACECoR Calls for PhD and Masters Applications

The Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) hosted by the University of Cape Coast, Ghana has issued out a call for Applications into its MPhil and PhD Programmes for 2019/2020 academic year. Programmes offered are; Integrated Coastal Zone Management, Fisheries Science, Oceanography and Limnology.

Application deadline is 8th July, 2019. Interested applicants should kindly visit https://acecoradmissions.ucc.edu.gh/ to apply

April 8, 2019December 15, 2020

Genomics Summer Bootcamp

The African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID) hosted by Redeemer’s University, Nigeria is organizing training workshops on Molecular Biology Genomics and Next Generation Sequencing from May 20- June 14 and May 6-31, 2019 respectively at the Redeemer’s University.

Courses under Molecular Biology and Genomics include; Molecular Bilogy theory, Laboratoty techniques, PCR primer designs, Sanger Sequencing Statistic, Data visualization, among others.

For Next Generation Sequencing, courses include; Library Construction, MiSeq operation, Science information, Bioinformatics analysis,Next generation sequencing, qRT-PCR and Career development.

All who seek to enhance their understanding and also pursue a career in Genomics are kindly requested to apply.

For more information, visit https://acegid.org/

February 23, 2019

ACEI and ACE IMPACT Official Opening Ceremony held in Djibouti on Wednesday 20 February 2019

The much-anticipated opening ceremony for the Africa Centres of Excellence for Development Impact Project was held on the morning of Wednesday 20^th February 2019 at Kempinski Hotel in Djibouti City, Djibouti. Dr Saida Chideh Soliman was the madam of ceremonies. In attendance were the President of the Republic of Djibouti H.E. Mr Ismail Omar Guelleh, the First Lady of the Republic of Djibouti, The Honourable Minister of Higher Education and Research in Djibouti, H.E. Dr Nabil Mohamed Ahmed, the Secretary General of the Association of African Universities, Prof Etienne Ehouan Ehile, the Djibouti World Bank Country Representative, Mr Atou Seck, and the French Development Agency Deputy Manager for Education, Vocational Training and Employment Sector, Ms Valerie Tehio.

Remarks by the Secretary General of the AAU

Professor Etienne Ehouan Ehile applauded the President of the Republic of Djibouti for taking time out of his busy schedule to participate in the ACE IMPACT Official Opening Ceremony. He said that this confirmed the President’s commitment to the Education Agenda in Djibouti and Africa as a whole. He also thanked the Government of Djibouti for supporting the hosting of the 2019 ACE meetings. He reminded the audience about the African Union Commission Policies and International Development Policies that promote the growth of education. He reiterated that strategic investments in Higher Education were critical for national development. On a lighter note he asked the President to ‘always remember the gratitude of the higher education stakeholders when he hears the cock crowing every morning’. Please Click Here for the Full Speech of the AAU Secretary General

Remarks by the Representative of the French Development Agency

Ms Valerie Tehio the Deputy Manager for Education, Vocational Training and Employment Sector made remarks on behalf of the French Development Agency (AFD). She said that the AFD was honoured to be part of this event and the ambitious ACE IMPACT program. AFD looks forward to contributing to the success of the ACE IMPACT project – through complementary support for regional networking and funding of technical experts to support selected ACEs. She concluded by wishing the participants successful meetings.

Remarks by the Djibouti World Bank Country Representative

Mr Atou Seck thanked all the participants for coming to Djibouti to attend the scheduled meetings. He also thanked all the institutions represented for their willingness to collaborate. He paid tribute to Mr Andreas Blom for his well-documented efforts towards strengthening African Universities. He mentioned that Djibouti was selected as an emerging Centre of Excellence in Africa in the field of logistics and transport within the faculty of engineering. He predicted that in future people would come to Djibouti to learn about transport and logistics or to do cutting edge research in the areas of transport and logistics.

Remarks by the Minister of Higher Education and Research, Djibouti

H.E. Dr Nabil Mohamed Ahmed welcomed the participants to “Djibouti the land of encounters, the land of peace and the land of engagements”. He expressed his joy that this event had materialized as per his vision. He paid tribute to the World Bank and AAU for supporting the Government of Djibouti to hold the ACE meetings in Djibouti City. He also congratulated the University of Djibouti Vice Chancellor for successfully spearheading the associated planning and logistics. He emphasized that it was the responsibility of Africans to work hard and ensure that educational institutions were effective and that the certificates given were recognized internationally. He said that Africa needed to catch up in the area of applied new technologies. Djibouti needs to optimize the transport chain by harnessing technology. Djibouti must exploit its competitive advantage as a transport hub. There is also an urgent need to increase the number of Djiboutian women Professors

The Message from the Honourable President of the Republic of Djibouti

His Excellency Mr Ismail Omar Guelleh the President of the Republic of Djibouti congratulated the organizers and the participants for the holding of the conference and the launch of the ACE IMPACT Project. He thanked the partners for positioning Higher Education to support the socio-economic development of African countries. He voiced his delight that Djibouti was now a member of the restricted club of ACE universities. He reminded the audience that he was a firm believer in providing African solutions to African problems. Therefore, he was thrilled that the ACE Djibouti would focus on logistics and transport. The President said that the transport sector was the “lungs of Djibouti”. Djibouti was ready to exploit its strategic location. There was a need to digitize the transport and transit procedures for the Djibouti transport sector. He underscored that scientific and technical development was therefore key. He ended his remarks by stating that he believed in the capacities of African countries, the youth and African researchers. He officially declared the conference opened.

Links to some photos.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=14xTS-RXI2mZ3ub5PZ9sRtWLKgOHMQd5Y