Natural Sciences – Kenya National Commission for UNESCO

Six Kenyans Awarded UNESCO/Poland Engineering Scholarships.

j.gitahi — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 11:50:24 +0000

Six (6) Kenyans have won the prestigious UNESCO/Poland Co-Sponsored Fellowship Programme in Engineering under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and Poland.

The fellowships offered by UNESCO, the Polish National Commission for UNESCO and the UNESCO Chair for Science, Technology, and Engineering at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow (Poland) will run for six (6) months, commencing on 2nd October 2023.The Programme seeks to promote human resource capacities in science and engineering in the developing countries and to enhance international understanding and friendship among peoples.

The six were part of the seven applications that were submitted, reviewed, endorsed and forwarded by the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO to UNESCO for consideration.

The six (Eric Kimathi Kamwara, Eva Mithiri Wainaina, Jane Njoki Nderu, Lenson Wangila, Shalom Chemutai Maina, and Wycliffe Onsongo Nyakenucha) will join other 24 recipients drawn from Africa; Arab States; Asia and the Pacific; and Latin America and Caribbean for a six-month fellowship at AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, Poland starting on 2nd October 2023 to 30th March 2024. The awardees will pursue Mechanical Engineering, Transport Engineering (1 awardee); Environmental Engineering, Mining and Energy (1 awardee); and Earth and Related Environmental Sciences (4 awardees).

“The award of these fellowships to Kenyans is a demonstration long established relation and the support and benefits associated with being part of the UNESCO networks while ensuring that Kenyans reap the full benefit through access to opportunities”, stated Dr. James Njogu, Ag. Secretary General/CEO, KNATCOM.

Fore more information on the upcoming UNESCO Fellowships https://www.unesco.org/en/fellowships

MAB Youth sensitization Webinar on UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserves

j.gitahi — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 13:33:07 +0000

MAB Youth sensitization Webinar on UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserves

A sensitization webinar bringing together youth from Kenya’s six (6) Man and Biosphere Reserves (MAB) was hosted by the Kenya National Commission (KNATCOM) for UNESCO in collaboration with the Kenya Man and Biosphere Committee on Thursday 8^th September 2022. The webinar brought together over 70 MAB Youth Forum members from Kenya’s unique globally recognized biosphere reserves, namely Malindi-Watamu Araujo Sokoke; Amboseli; Mount Kenya-Lewa; Mount Kulal; Mount Elgon; and Kiunga Marine Biosphere Reserves. A total of 120 youths have been identified to be part of the MAB Youth Forum for Kenya.

During the opening session, the KNATCOM Secretary General, Dr. Evangeline Njoka, underscored the role played by biosphere reserves as critical fragile ecosystems that offer essential ecosystem services such as climate change mitigation, carbon sequestration, hydrological cycle and watershed functions, soil protection, habitat for species of global conservation concern, recreation and spiritual well-being, food among others. She underpinned the need to conserve them actively as this would contribute to sustainable development at local, national, regional and global levels.

Dr. Njoka emphasized that Africa and Gender Equality Global priorities are top on the UNESCO Agenda while youth are priority groups and therefore UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme has since 2016 prioritized youth engagement in biosphere reserves. Dr. Njoka challenged the youth to be catalysts of positive change and use this MAB Youth Forum as a platform as they engage in conservation and management discourse and decision making at local, national and global levels. She noted that youth can be champions of peace and sustainable development and pledged the Commitment of the Commission to walk with them as they embark on this journey. She called upon the youth to support in activities lined up to celebrate the MAB programme as it celebrates the Golden Jubilee after fifty years in existence and also participate in activities to mark the International Day of Biosphere Reserves on 3^rd November 2022.

The Chair of the National MAB Committee, Mr. Boniface Wanyama (NACOSTI) thanked the youth for attending the session and applauded Kenya National Commission for UNESCO for coordinating and hosting the workshop. During his presentation “MAB Programme from Global to local” emphasised on the need for enhanced active participation, youth voices, and engagement is core to the management of MABs and natural resources in general as this is critical to sustainable development. He presented the evolution of the UNESCO MAB Youth Forum and the achievements made to date. He also presented the status of the MAB programme in Kenya, reiterating the Kenya MAB National Committee’s commitment to engage with youth to drive social innovation and change.

During the session, Ms. Rebecca Yego, who is the MAB Youth Spokesperson for Africa highlighted her involvement in MAB activities both locally, regionally and globally appreciating the opportunity that this has given her to be part of conservation debate at various levels. She acknowledged the support accorded to her by the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO by nominating her and giving her an opportunity to raise the voice of the youth in global forums and debates.

As part of sharing experiences across biosphere reserves, Mr. Tonderai Makoni, Director of Vhembe Biosphere Reserve and guest speaker, emphasised on the role of the youth in management and conservation of biosphere reserves. He challenged the youth to be active in policy debates, biosphere reserves awareness; participate in training programmes that help enhance skills. Sharing some of the success stories of youth engagement in South Africa, Mr Makoni committed to continue sharing lessons learnt for the betterment of the Kenya MAB Youth Forum.

Dr. Eshiamwata the Deputy Director, Natural Sciences at the Commission also emphasized the need for Kenya MAB Youth leverage on the opportunities including the UNESCO prizes and awards such as UNESCO MAB Young Scientist Awards; global policy forums such as climate summits and Conferences of Parties and commemoration of International Days to amplify youth voices and engagement. He encouraged them to document ongoing activities in their respective biosphere reserves and promote information sharing.

The excited youth thanked KNATCOM hosting this inaugural sensitization forum promising to actively engage and leverage on this opportunity to network. In conclusion the MAB Chair urged the youth to come up with a governance structure and prepare a plan with activities to be undertaken while using this as a resource mobilization tool

African Members States urged to Strengthen their National Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme Committees

j.gitahi — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 20:10:13 +0000

African countries have been urged to strengthen their National Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) Committees. This was the resolution during the 8^th IHP Africa Regional Steering Committee held at Lamantin Beach Resort, Dakar from 18^th – 19^th March 2022. Happening back-to-back with the 9^th World Water Forum, this meeting brought together more than 33 representatives from 26 National IHP Committees from Africa, UNESCO Bureaus and Regional Offices in Eastern, Southern and Western Africa.

The purpose of the meeting was to review progress of the implementation and governance of IHP in Africa through sharing achievements, review major regional initiatives and projects in Africa, share experiences, best practices and lessons learnt for strengthening the Programme in Africa.

The meeting was officially opened by a representative, Hon. Serigne Mbaye Thiam, Minister of Water and Sanitation, Republic of Senegal with opening statements from Dr. Dimitri Sanga, UNESCO Director of the Multisectoral Regional Office for West Africa and Dr. Abdou Amani, UNESCO Director, Division for Water Resources and Secretary, IHP. The meeting was chaired by Prof. Cheikh Becaye, Chair, Senegal IHP Committee.

Kenya was represented by Dr. George Eshiamwata, Ag. Director, Natural Sciences Programme at the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO. During the meeting, participants presented country reports and engaged in discussions on the Be-Resilient Project (https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-launch-be-resilient-project), BIOPALT Project (https://en.unesco.org/biopalt), IHP Guidelines, validation of the IHP baseline reports for the eastern, western and southern regions, available tools in water management such as the UNESCO IHP Water Information Network System (WINS) (http://ihp-wins.unesco.org/#/) and countries’ participation at the 9^th World Water Forum hosted by the Senegal Government from 21^st -26^th March 2022.

Participants during the 8th IHP Africa Regional Steering Committee meeting in Dakar, Senegal [Photo: Courtesy]

The importance of water as a resource is facing numerous challenges including the effects of global change (e.g. climate change), increased demand due to human population explosion, pollution, bridging the data-knowledge gaps (especially underground water resources), role of scientific research and innovation, water management and governance.
A clarion call was made encouraging African member states to invigorate their IHP Committees, leverage on existing UNESCO water families (Category II Centres and UNESCO Chairs on Water), UNESCO Bureaus and Regional Offices, UNESCO IHP Bureaus and Councils and other partners in the water sector as well as explore linkages with other UNESCO programmes (e.g UNESCO MAB and UNESCO Geoparks). Transforming from an International Hydrological Programme to an Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme put governments through the respective Ministries of Water to take a central role in the establishment, coordination and strengthening of IHP Committees across the African member states.
This regional meeting provided a platform to share best practices, lessons learnt and experiences on implementation of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme across Africa with a strong commitment to pursue linkages and convene more forums of this nature in future. The meeting happened at a time when countries are gearing up to celebrate the World Water Day on 22nd March 2022 with the theme: Groundwater – Making the Invisible Visible.
Participation at the meeting was supported by UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa.