“Science provides the framework, diplomacy provides the methods,” says Dr. Lasina Zerbo.

“Science provides the framework and diplomacy provides the methods,” said Lasina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) and co-chair of the National Organizing Committee of the International Conference on Science and Diplomacy. It is scheduled to take place from November 29 to December 1, 2021 in Ouagadougou.

The African continent faces many challenges that hamper its development. Undoubtedly, one of the obstacles to the economic growth of the continent is the weak development of science. Science-based diplomacy makes it possible to anticipate the challenges of a particular region. “It hurts when I go to California, for example, to see young students use public satellite data to predict crises like the Arab Spring.

“Our view is that we ourselves cannot train young people locally and in Africa to do this work as long as this data is public… This is an example that I give,” explained Dr. Lasina Zerbo. This first edition will be entitled “The relationship between science and Diplomacy: Accelerating the transformation of Africa through technological innovation.

According to the organizing committee, the goal is to make Burkina Faso a meeting point to discuss scientific innovations. 500 people are expected to attend this great conference. There will be prominent academics, politicians, diplomatic officials, students and institutional representatives.

This forum will allow young entrepreneurs to be financed by professionals. Additionally, students will benefit from scholarships and internships alongside international experts. Topics such as cybercrime, artificial intelligence, energy diplomacy, nuclear energy, the environment and insecurity will be deciphered.

The organizing committee says they put the small pictures in the big ones so that the event really affects the lives of the neighbors. The International Conference on Science and Diplomacy is an initiative of the President of Faso, Roch Marc Christian Kabore. Conference activities will be in person or online.

SB

Lefaso.net