Dates & Time

25-30 May 2025

Venue

University of Pretoria, South Africa

Registration

Register here to virtually attend the Science Diplomacy: Science for Peace in Africa session.

Programme

To view the programme, click here.

Overview 

Africa Week is the University of Pretoria’s (UP) biennial science leadership summit hosted by the Future Africa platform. The 2025 event, organised with the support of the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) and the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI), will be held from 25 to 30 May 2025 and will convene prominent African and global science leaders and stakeholders for a series of high-level discussions under the theme ‘Global Security, Global Africa’.

Africa Week 2025 will bring together leaders from higher education institutions across Africa and the world and stakeholders from academia, government, business, civil society to deliberate on several key global security questions from an African perspective.

AAS Side Events:

Science Diplomacy: Science for Peace in Africa

Wednesday 28 May 2025 10:30-12:30 SAST

At a time of significant geopolitical stress, the scientific debate on building peaceful societies has never been more crucial. Conflicts threaten the stability and socio-economic development of communities across Africa and globally, underscoring the urgent need for scientific cooperation.

This session will explore how science can contribute to a more peaceful society and help communities navigate just transitions.

The Science4Peace Africa Initiative, a strategic partnership between the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Division for Peace, leverages science diplomacy, interdisciplinary research, and capacity-building. It aims to address the root causes of conflicts, stabilise conflict-affected areas, and promote inclusive, equitable development across Africa in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Speakers 

•    Prof Lise Korsten, AAS President 

•    Prof Hilary Inyang, AAS Fellow

•    Prof Nicholas Ozor, AAS Fellow

•    Prof Nkem Khumbah, AAS, Head of STI Policy Systems, Governance and Partnerships

•    Dr Sara Clarke-Habibi, UNESCO

Contacts

For more information please contact Prof Lise Korsten, lise.korsten@up.ac.za ; Zethu Mkhwanazi,  ze2mkhwa@gmail.com and Pieter Rossouw, rossouw.pieter@up.ac.za