Tunisia – Japanese AI expertise draws Africa-wide attendence at Tunis conference

Location: Tunis – Tunisia

Language: Arabic + English

Duration: 00:04:43

Sound: natural

Source: A24 in Tunisia

Restrictions: A24 subscribers

Date: 24/08/ 2022

Storyline:

Africa-Japan Forum on Society, Science and Technology kicked off today in Tunis’ Science City with the rubric – Investing in knowledge and technology for a new Africa. 

Adel Munif,  from the forum’s organizing committee, told A24 that this year’s conference is better attended than ever.

That’s because it involves applying artificial intelligence to the continent’s water, energy, agriculture, and medical challenges.

African researchers and lecturers at internationally ranked universities from across the continent are presenting at the forum.

The conference addresses pressing issues in African countries and proposes scientific solutions drawing on Japanese expertise.

Shotlist:

– Soundbite (Adel Munif – Member of the forum’s organizing committee):

“The African-Japanese forum is bigger than the previous one, this time the forum includes researchers, industrialists and political decision-makers. They are all gathered here to discuss various topics including water, energy, agriculture, medical and pharmaceuticals sciences, ICT and artificial intelligence. The goal is to generalize technological poles on the entirety of Africa, through benefiting from Tunisian experience that in turn benefited from Japanese technology. Scientific research usually does not receive much funding, so we demand the establishment of a fund for scientific research in Africa. We also demand forming an African alliance for scientific research and technology.”

– Soundbite (Abu Bakr Shadeq – Lecturer from Dakar / Senegal):

“We are looking for a way that science and technology can help solve societal problems. We are looking for a way to develop a roadmap of observations and recommendations that we present to decision-makers to enable them to develop participatory continental projects between Africa and Japan. We want programs and projects that involve the entire continent, because all countries face the same issues and the scientific and technological solutions are the same everywhere.”

– Soundbite (Shadli Abdali – Researcher and director at the Tunisian National Agency for Scientific Research):

“This event is special in with regards to the utmost care in the transfer of technology and the valorization of research results. We, our colleagues and guests from Africa share the same issues, which is why we seek, in cooperation with Japan, to exchange experiences in the field of technology transfer. We seek to develop ways of applying research results on economic and social spheres. I believe that Africa will achieve economic progress, due to its human resources, competencies and natural resources.”

– Soundbite (Adel Bouhula – Professor at the Arabian Gulf University and several Japanese universities):

“I believe this forum is of utmost importance, because Africa possesses many natural resources, and distinguished scientists competencies. There is an opportunity to work on something that benefits all parties.”