Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) delegation led by President Bai Chunli visited Ethiopia and Tanzania and attended The World Academy of Sciences(TWAS)’s 27th General Meeting in Rwanda in May.

At a launching ceremony for the Ethiopia office of the Sino-Africa Joint Research Centre, Bai said the new office will be an important platform for promoting and facilitating cooperation in fields that are of major concern to African countries, such as biodiversity, environmental protection, agriculture and public health.

The office will also implement a “green development” initiative proposed by China at the Johannesburg Summit of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, said Bai.

He also met with Ethiopia’s Minister of Livestock and Fishery Sileshi Getahun, and the country’s leading scientists.

CAS President Bai Chunli meets with Rwandan President Paul Kagame. photo by Jiang yiqi

Sileshi said Ethiopia has maintained fast economic growth in the last ten years or more. The country needs to learn from others and carry out international cooperation in order to attain its development goals. In particular, Ethiopia hopes to enhance cooperation with CAS so that it can turn its resource advantages into a cutting edge in economic development.

Gemedo Dale, director general of Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, expressed his hope to deepen cooperation with CAS in biodiversity protection and other research areas.

In Tanzania, Bai visited the Tanzania National Parks Authority, Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology, Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute and Tanzania Academy of Sciences, and witnessed the signing of a variety of agreements.

He said cooperation with African countries should focus on key areas and will help CAS increase its international influence, and the academy will step up communication with Tanzania to enhance cooperation in science, technology and education, he stated.

Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology signs a MoU with Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute. photo by Jiang yiqi

In Rwanda, Bai attended the TWAS’s 27th General Meeting and met with President of Rwanda Paul Kagame.

Bai thanked the president and the Rwandan government for hosting the meeting and expressed the hope that the event will help promote the country’s science and technology development.

Kagame said Rwanda is willing to further cooperate with CAS as well as TWAS in science and education.

Bai also met with Rwanda’s Minister of Education Papias Malimba Musafiri. At a roundtable meeting on science and education, Bai and representatives from nearly 20 Rwandan universities and research institutions discussed plans for boosting China-Rwanda cooperation in those areas.