- US Agency for International Development (USAID) will host Africa Regional Higher Education Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, on October 21 through October 24, focusing on role of higher education institutions in Africa's economic growth and global competitiveness.
This event will also build on discussions and work that began during similar summit for global development held at US department of state in April of this year.
US Secretary of Education, Margaret Spellings confirmed that USAID Administrator and US Director of Foreign Assistance Henrietta H. Fore will speak at the Summit. Other participants include American and African University presidents and other educational institute representatives, foundation leaders, and corporate executives.
With collaboration between public and private sectors, Africa Summit aims to generate new ideas on capacity building and development in Africa, help meet some of challenges facing higher education community in Africa, foster mutually beneficial partnerships among participating organisations, and highlight best practices within higher education community.
Topics to be covered will include among others, investing in science, technology and innovation for sustained growth; ICT in higher education: cultivating innovation and expanding access; and, expanding partnerships to strengthen Africa's higher education institutions.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
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afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.