The president of Mauritius, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, a biodiversity scientist, told the meeting in London: “Only through science, technology, engineering and mathematics can we as a global community increase the prosperity of our people. But Africa, despite its impressive recent economic growth, remains burdened by a deeply rooted scientific deficit.”
She said that encouraging young female students into science and engineering disciplines was key to increasing the number of skilled people available to build much-needed infrastructure and prepare the way for a new society.