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Dr Dlamini-Zuma

NEW YORK .- The chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has called for greater investment in the training and mentorship of young men and women in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Dr Dlamini-Zuma made this call while delivering her keynote address at the 4th Annual Global First Ladies and Business Summit, recently, organised on the sidelines of the 71st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York.

She noted that Africa is urbanising rapidly, with increasing demand for infrastructure (transport, energy, water and sanitation) as well, health, education, cultural facilities and other public ser- vices.

African cities will increasingly require trained and qualified architects, engineers, town and urban planners, as well as expertise in the maintenance of infrastructure. Zimbabwe is already leading the charge in this respect.

Referring to Agenda 2063, the African Union’s framework document for driving Africa’s structural transformation, Dr Dlamini-Zuma reiterated the importance of the infrastructure sectors and said that they will require scientific, research and professional skills, at different levels, including entrepreneurship such that opportunities can be transformed into business ideas, based on the needs and markets in towns, communities and cities.

Ms Savannah Maziya, the chief executive officre of the BUNENGI Group, organisers of the event, said that Africa needs to promote STEM not as a nice to have, but in the interest of our survival.

She called for a focus on education, having the right teachers, with the right attitude and the right policies to have a meaningful impact.

The First Ladies of South Africa and Zambia, and a representative of UNESCO, who also spoke at the summit, advocated STEM education and professions to be made more attractive. -AU Commission/HR.