From April 2 to 10, Valérie Verdier, CEO of IRD, will be traveling to East Africa, specifically Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya. This mission is part of strengthening the ties and partnership with the African Union, focusing on health, agriculture, the environment, and the blue economy. It will also facilitate bilateral exchanges with IRD partners, reaffirm the Institute’s commitment to research, training, and innovation in East Africa, and explore new avenues for collaboration. Valérie Verdier will be accompanied by Éric Delaporte, scientific director of the Health and Society department (SAS) at IRD, Gilles Kleitz, deputy director of science at IRD, Catherine Fernandez, deputy director of the Ecology, Biodiversity, and Continental Ecosystem Functioning department (ECOBIO) at IRD, Paul André Calatayud, IRD representative in East Africa, and Dominique Dumet, scientific advisor for Africa at IRD. Jeanick Brisswalter, president of Université Côte d’Azur, accompanied by Cécile Sabourault, vice president for international affairs, and Marie-Pierre Ballarin, vice president for South Policy, will join the CEO of IRD in Tanzania and Kenya.
The objectives of this trip are to:
- Strengthen dialogue with the African Union, particularly through three commissions: Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development/Africa CDC (HHS), Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (ESTI), and Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE);
- Exchange with Embassies and the French and European teams in the three countries;
- Meet with national and international partners to reinforce existing partnerships, explore new opportunities for collaboration, and engage with stakeholders in higher education, research, and innovation;
- Participate in the CGIAR Science Week from April 7 to 12 in Nairobi. This international event brings together scientists, policymakers, and development actors to strengthen innovation and partnerships through plenary sessions, workshops, and field visits.
Present in Kenya since 1992, IRD supports research and training in partnership with over 20 institutions in East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Djibouti. IRD and its partners jointly develop activities focused on research, capacity building, and innovation, in line with the national and regional priorities of the countries, to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
IRD’s activities in East Africa are focused on the following themes: societal dynamics, sustainable management of socio-ecosystems, agroecology, food security and nutrition, blue economy, and human health, particularly infectious diseases. IRD, in collaboration with its partners, supports a multidisciplinary approach to research that aligns with national and regional priorities.
Source: IRD
