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I am really pleased to welcome you all to Mauritius and to this third edition of the UNESCO-MERCK Africa Research Summit. I thank the organizers for this valuable partnership with the Government of Mauritius to contribute to building research capacity in Africa.We are also pleased to have with us Prof. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of the Executive Board of E. Merck KG and Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of the Merck Foundation. I’d like to extend a welcome to the senior officials of international NGOs, the international and African researchers and of course our young students especially these talented young women and men who will help us build on our achievements, learn from our mistakes, while practicing the highest standards of scientific excellence needed to accelerate sustainable development on the African continent. UNESCO-Merck Africa Research Summit – MARS is a valuable opportunity for all those engaged and interested in health research in Africa to learn about the full spectrum of ground-breaking scientific research currently underway, and prepare for the road ahead in Africa’s development as an international hub for research excellence and scientific innovation.Conducting the 3rd edition of UNESCO MARS in Mauritius is valuable for us as it complements our national strategy to promote scientific research, empowering women and youth in STEM and our Ministry of Health focused strategy on improving cancer research and access to Cancer care.It is because the future of innovation in science and technology is in the hands of our youth that I wish to dedicate this third edition of the UNESCO-MERCK Africa Research Summit to the young students who have joined us today. Let us give them a round of applause.I would like to take this opportunity, Ladies and gentlemen, to say a few words about Mauritius and the importance we attach to science, technology, and innovation for our and Africa’s current and future prosperity. Mauritius, as you know, is a small island developing state and we have a history of colonialism that ranged from brief visits, hundreds of years ago by people of what we now call the Middle East, followed by former colonial powers like Portugal, and in more recent centuries by the Dutch, the French and finally the British. Since gaining its independence in 1968, Mauritius has shown exceptional progress, on multiple fronts. Although we are a comparatively small country, we are leading in terms of many economic, social, and environmental indicators.
