ANSO Africa Hub of Science & Innovation Launched in Addis Ababa

ANSO Secretariat

28 09, 2025

On September 27, 2025, Prof. Liu Weidong, Executive Director of the Alliance of National and International Science Organizations for the Belt and Road Regions (ANSO), Dr. Bayisa Leta Danno, President of Ambo University (AU), and Prof. Wang Qingfeng, Director of the Sino-Africa Joint Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (SAJOREC, CAS), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, officially announcing the establishment of the ANSO Africa Hub of Science & Innovation (AAHSI). The signing ceremony was attended and witnessed by Mr. Liu Xiaoguang, Minister-Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia; Mr. He Kaihui, Counselor of the Mission of China to the African Union; and Mr. Kora Tushune, State Minister of the Ministry of Education of Ethiopia. Together, they unveiled the plaque of the AAHSI.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Liu highlighted that the AAHSI will work with partners to address pressing issues such as climate change, clean energy, food security, and public health. He stressed that the AAHSI will uphold the principles of open science, promote equitable access to knowledge, skills, and data, and strengthen Africa’s capacity for scientific and technological innovation. As a key platform for advancing the integration of science, technology, and industrial innovation in Africa, the AAHSI will foster interdisciplinary cooperation, support regional sustainable development, and enhance collaboration with governments, international organizations, enterprises, universities, and research institutions across the continent.

Dr. Lidia Brito, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences, sent a congratulatory letter that was delivered on-site by UNESCO Programme Officer Dr. Yoslan Nur. In her message, Dr. Brito highly commended the establishment of the AAHSI, recognizing its significance in advancing scientific innovation and green development in Africa, and expressed her hope that it would serve as a key platform for green development and collaborative innovation across the continent. Ms. Zhang Liping, Chief of the Science, Technology and Innovation for Development Section at UNCTAD, emphasized the importance of establishing a partnership with the AAHSI. Prof. Bai Chunli, Founding President of ANSO, described the AAHSI’s establishment in his congratulatory letter as a milestone in ANSO’s development, reflecting the organization’s strong commitment to fulfilling its mission at the regional level, and expressed the expectation that the AAHSI would bring together partners to jointly address Africa’s regional challenges.

Following the signing, the Conference on the Integration of Science, Technology and Industrial Innovation was held in Addis Ababa, which brought together over 150 participants from government, industry, academia, and research institutions. Institutions represented included UNESCO, UNCTAD, the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), AU, Addis Ababa University (AAU), the University of London (UoL), and ANSO’s African member organizations. Business representatives from China and Ethiopia also participated, including ZD Energy, Beijing Freedo Technology Co., Ltd., China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), China Railway Seventh Group Co., Ltd. (CRSG), and Guangdong New South Group Co., Ltd. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on climate change, clean energy, food security, public health, and artificial intelligence. Panel discussions were moderated by Dr. Nkem Khumbah, Head of the Science, Technology & Innovation Policy, Governance and Partnerships at AAS, and Ms. Zhang, focusing on leveraging the integration of science, technology, and industrial innovation for a sustainable future. Experts expressed strong support for the AAHSI’s mission and offered constructive recommendations for its future work.

At the conclusion of the conference, the inaugural meeting of the AAHSI Steering Committee was convened, during which the AAHSI’s work plan and the roles and responsibilities of Committee members were outlined.

The AAHSI has now been officially incorporated into UNESCO’s International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD).