Nelson Mandela University’s Distinguished Professor Darelle van Greunen and recipient of South Africa’s prestigious Science Diplomacy Award — often called the “Scientific Oscar” has a simple, yet transformative philosophy that is the basis of her work: ICT solutions for Africa, by Africans, in Africa. In a fascinating discussion with Pan-African Frequency, she talked about what African-led science actually looks like in practice, and how African-led solutions, its indigenous knowledge, and the power of its youth can significantly shape the future of the continent.
“To sustain the growth of our economy in Africa, we must certainly invest in our youth, but also in digital skills, in local innovation and inclusive access [...] Africa's future is most certainly digital. It's collaborative, and it is impact driven. I think to be impact driven and collaborative and digital, we need to consider how we engage with artificial intelligence, with digital health, and climate smart agriculture. Those are the sectors that will shape our continent. And the real opportunity that we have here is to lead with solutions that are locally grounded but globally relevant [...] So therefore, in Africa, for Africa, by Africans, is a really, truly powerful metaphor that we need to pursue,” the professor explained.
Looking Up — Historic First Flight of Yuri Gagarin and Its Significance for Africa
While digital tools transform life on the ground, African scientists are also reaching for the stars. Takalani Nemaungani, Chief Director of Astronomy at the Department of Science and Innovation in South Africa and at the Secretariat for the BRICS Astronomy Working Group shared his insights on what Gagarin’s flight means for Africa, the lessons from the Soviet space age that are still relevant today, and more importantly how Africa is finally ready to take its own giant leap in space and astronomy.
“Gagarin's flight was very significant in the sense that it demonstrated that a country like Russia [...] was able to transform itself into a global technological nation, was an inspiration to many African countries. [...] It's important, given the current geopolitical developments, to ensure that African countries can develop their own technology, not to only rely on Western developments because that helps with its sovereignty and independence [...] African countries are slowly but surely investing more in building telescopes, actually also building attractive telescope sites and also human capabilities,” he pointed out.
This episode also features:
Dr. Oscar van Heerden, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for African Diplomacy and Leadership at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa
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