Biotech Updates

African Heads of State and Governments Agree to Give Biotechnology a Try

June 1, 2012

African leaders have resolved to promote agricultural research and biotechnology in a bid to find practical solutions to the continent's perennial food shortage and hunger. The heads of state and government made this joint declaration at the end of the Global African Diaspora Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa on 28th May, 2012.

The Statement read in part "We, the Heads of State and Government of the African Union, the Caribbean and South America agree to establish multi-stakeholder working groups comprising the AU, CARICOM and representatives from the Diaspora in the following priority areas: Economic Cooperation; Science and Technology - including the establishment of Low Earth Orbit satellite, and research in agriculture and biotechnology." The declaration by the heads of state and government is expected to signal the growing consensus in the continent that biotechnology deserves a chance in Africa's agriculture.

For a copy of the declaration at the summit, go to: http://appablog.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/declaration-of-the-global-african-diaspora-summit/.