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Prof Martin Nyaga champions Africa’s scientific leadership at the AAS Summit in Ghana

18 August 2025 | Story Somila Nazo | Photo Supplied

Prof Martin Nyaga, one of Africa’s foremost experts in genomics and global health, recently delivered a powerful call for Africa’s leadership in global science at the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) Summit in Accra, Ghana.

As Head of the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Unit at the University of the Free State (UFS) and Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases Surveillance and Pathogen Genomics, Prof Nyaga urged the scientific community to recognise Africa not just as a participant in global research, but as a driver of innovation and change.

A summit of vision and collaboration

Themed Unpacking the Pact for the Future: Imperatives for Advancing Scientific Cooperation with Africa, the summit took place from 2 – 4 July 2025. Hosted by the AAS in partnership with the African Union, the Government of Ghana, the University of Ghana, and other global partners, the summit brought together leading scientists, policymakers, and international stakeholders to discuss Africa’s role in shaping the future of global science, research and innovation.

The event was attended by high-level dignitaries, including the President of Ghana, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, and the former President of Nigeria, His Excellency Olusegun Obasanjo – a clear indication of strong political will to prioritise science, health and innovation across the continent.

Advancing Africa’s voice in global health

On 2 July 2025, Prof Nyaga delivered his keynote address, Advances, Opportunities and Priorities for Global Health in Africa. He highlighted Africa’s growing capabilities in genomics and public health, underscoring the opportunities for scientific leadership.

Following his address, he joined an expert panel with representatives from Tanzania, Ghana and Nigeria to discuss strategies for advancing scientific cooperation in global health. His contributions focused on: strengthening research collaborations; building capacity within Africa; increasing African ownership in health innovations, and enhancing the translation of research into policy and practice.

Prof Nyaga also used the platform to spotlight the work of the UFS Next Generation Sequencing (UFS-NGS) Unit. As a WHO Collaborating Centre, the unit plays a critical role in pathogen tracking, monitoring vaccine-preventable diseases, and supporting public health preparedness across Africa and beyond.

“This engagement provided an opportunity to highlight the impactful research from the UFS-NGS Unit – not only in academic publications, but in demonstrating tangible public health benefits to policy makers,” said Prof Nyaga. “It elevated the University of the Free State’s standing as a leader in genomic science, while opening new opportunities for collaboration for South Africa and the continent. Our research priorities are increasingly shaping global health and innovation agendas.”

From Ghana to the G20

The outcomes of the summit will feed into a communiqué to be presented at the 2025 G20 Summit, to be hosted by South Africa. Prof Nyaga’s thought leadership ensures that Africa’s scientific voice - and South Africa’s research priorities - will be represented at one of the world’s most influential multilateral platforms.

For more information about UFS partnerships in Africa, contact the Office for International Affairs at partnerships@ufs.ac.za.

News Archive

UFS academics present papers at major conference

2009-07-23

Pictured from the left are: Prof Neethling, Prof Edna van Harte (Dean of the Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University), Dr Thomas Mandrup (from the Royal Danish Defence College and co-organiser of the conference), and Prof Heidi Hudson.
Photo: Supplied

Prof Theo Neethling from the Department of Political Science was recently invited to address a conference on the theoretical basis for states’ use of military instruments of force and scholarly progress in the understanding of armed conflict in Africa held at Stellenbosch University (SU) on 11 and 12 June 2009. This conference, themed Strategic Theory and Contemporary Africa Conflicts, was presented by the Faculty of Military Science of SU in collaboration with the Faculty of Military and Strategic Studies of the Royal Danish Defence College in Copenhagen. The conference was premised on the point that the way in which states choose to become involved in, orchestrate or oppose armed conflicts in terms of peace intervention action, normally originates from theoretical thinking well-grounded in a national strategy. This was the first conference in South Africa that focused on the nature of such a national strategy, but also on how the incidence of recent armed conflicts in Africa could be explained in terms of this theoretical thinking. In view of this Prof Neethling’s paper was titled, “UN peacekeeping operations in Africa: Reflections on developments, trends and the way forward”. His paper focused on recent and current UN peacekeeping operations with special reference to multinational challenges in the African context.

Prof. Heidi Hudson from the Centre for African Studies also attended the conference in Stellenbosch on Strategic Theory and Contemporary Africa Conflicts. In addition she was invited to present a paper at the Peacekeeping Africa 2009 conference held on 24 and 25 June 2009 at Gallagher Estate, Midrand. The event brings together individuals who are experts in defence, peacekeeping, policing, foreign service and other government bodies to share knowledge and to discuss the latest developments. This year’s conference was attended by more than 100 experts from all over Africa, with strong representation from the UN and the International Red Cross. Prof. Hudson’s paper was entitled “Peacebuilding through a gender lens”. Her presentation examined lessons learnt with regard to implementation of a gender perspective in Côte d’Ivoire and Rwanda. These case studies point towards an empirical link between women’s inclusion in peace processes and the quality of peace finally achieved. Prof. Hudson warned that inattention to the differential needs of both women and men during conflict and in the post-conflict reconstruction phase may perpetuate the violence discourses which sustained the conflict in the first place.

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