[AstroNet] Announcement: Meeting To Plan The Future Of Astronomy In Africa Kicks Off In Cape Town

[Kevin Govender]

Dear colleagues

Please find a brief summary of outcomes from the Astronomy in Africa
meeting at the following link: http://africa.astro4dev.org/outcomes/

Text from that webpage copied below for quick reference:

Outcomes

After an intense two days of presentations
<http://africa.astro4dev.org/programme/> and discussions, the meeting
adopted a new constitution for the African Astronomical Society (AfAS);
accepted an offer of the South African government to host a staffed
secretariat for the first 3 years; and elected an Executive Committee to
take the organisation forward.

*The adopted Constitution:* AfAS constitution-adopted-26-03-2019
<http://africa.astro4dev.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2019/03/AfAS-constitution-adopted-26-03-2019.pdf>

*The new members of the AfAS Executive Committee:*
*President*: Jamal Mimouni (Algeria)
*Vice-President*: Lerothodi Leeuw (South Africa)
*General Secretary*: Sarah Abotsi-Masters (Ghana)
*Assistant General Secretary*: Charles Takalani (South Africa)
*Public Relations and Education Officer*: Olayinka Fagbemiro (Nigeria)
*Early Career Representative*: Zara Randriamanakoto (Madagascar)
*Additional Member #1*: Palesa Nombula (South Africa)
*Additional Member #2*: Etsegenet Getachew (Ethiopia)

This Executive Committee has now been entrusted to work hard for the
continent and take the African Astronomical Society forward!

*This page will soon be updated with more details on the process that was
followed to reach the above outcomes…*

On Fri, 22 Mar 2019 at 14:28, Thembela Mantungwa <tm at saao.ac.za> wrote:

> *Meeting To Plan The Future Of Astronomy In Africa Kicks Off In Cape Town*
>
>
>
> The Astronomy in Africa Business meeting will be hosted at the South
> African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town on 25-26 March 2019. The
> meeting will focus on strategy, policy, and governance issues related to
> the field and plan the future of astronomy on the continent. It will also
> relaunch the African Astronomical Society (AfAS), a professional astronomy
> society, with a clear mandate.
>
>
>
> “This meeting is of particular significance given the growing stature of
> astronomy on the continent, and the fact that several countries have
> research facilities and astronomy observatories”, said Kevin Govender,
> director of the International Astronomical Union’s Office of Astronomy for
> Development, which is the local organizer.
>
>
>
> The discussions will leverage on the massive international projects such
> as the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and African VLBI Network which will
> soon have African countries and scientists leading cutting edge research. These
> are complemented by capacity building efforts training young Africans in
> astronomy, engineering and related fields, such as the DARA Newton Fund
> program <https://www.dara-project.org/>. The African science community
> and international commitment to astronomy in Africa recently received a
> boost when Cape Town was chosen to host the biggest conference in
> astronomy, the International Astronomical Union General Assembly (IAU
> GA), in 2024. This will be the first time that the GA is hosted in Africa
> since the founding of the IAU in 1919 and presents an opportunity for the
> continent to demonstrate to the world its prowess in one of the most
> technical scientific fields.
>
>
>
> Around 80 delegates from 20 different countries will be present at the
> Astronomy in Africa meeting in Cape Town, including astronomy researchers
> and stakeholders from government and research institutions. Anyone
> interested in Astronomy in Africa can provide input online
> <http://africa.astro4dev.org/participate/>.
>
>
>
> An informal day of discussions and networking to explore collaborative
> opportunities between space and astronomy
> <http://africa.astro4dev.org/space-astronomy-day-cape-town/> communities
> will precede the meeting on Sunday, 24 March.
>
>
>
> In addition, media personnel are invited to meet and interact with the
> African astronomy community on Tuesday, 26 March 2019 between 10:30 -
> 11:30am at the South African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town. RSVP to
> info at astro4dev.org.
>
>
>
> *--------------------------*
>
> *The meeting is sponsored by the South African Department of Science and
> Technology and organized by the IAU Office of Astronomy for Development. It
> is hosted by the South African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town. *
>
> *Program:* *http://africa.astro4dev.org/programme/
> <http://africa.astro4dev.org/programme/>*
>
> *Remote participation:** Interested participants from around the world
> can join the meeting online at **https://zoom.us/j/7022965767
> <https://zoom.us/j/7022965767>** Or via telephone: find your local number
> at **https://zoom.us/u/acCPDBFx5m <https://zoom.us/u/acCPDBFx5m>*
> *, Meeting ID: 702 296 5767 *
>
>
> *Contact:** Kevin Govender, Director, International Astronomical Union
> Office of Astronomy for Development, South African Astronomical
> Observatory, Cape Town, **kg at astro4dev.org <kg at astro4dev.org>*
>
>
>
> --
> Regards
>
> Thembela Mantungwa
> S.A. Astronomical Observatory
> Tel: 021 460 9319
> Fax: 021 447 3639
> Email: tm at saao.ac.za
> Website: www.saao.ac.za / www.salt.ac.za
>
>
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> AstroNet at mail.saasta.ac.za
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>


-- 
Kevin Govender
IAU Office of Astronomy for Development
www.astro4dev.org
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