AFRICA must invest in building a robust engineering infrastructure, anchored on its bustling population, modern technology, and abundant natural resources, to accelerate the continent’s development trajectory, the Newsday can report.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the forthcoming Africa Engineering Week this week in Uganda, World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO) deputy President Engineer Martin Manuhwa underscored that strengthening Africa’s engineering infrastructure would spur its developmental thrust.
Engineer Manuhwa is also the chairperson of the Africa Engineering Week.
He said: “Africa must leverage its population dividend, adopt artificial intelligence, embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and add value to its abundant natural resources. Without engineering, Africa cannot claim its rightful position as an economic giant in line with Agenda 2063.
“Engineering is the key to unlock the great potential that Africa has in its population dividend and abundant natural resources. Without engineering, Africa will not achieve its aspirations espoused in the AU Agenda 2063, the SDGs, and future goals.”
The field of engineering, he added, must be harnessed to drive development and offer practical solutions to some of the challenges confronting Africa.
Manuhwa, who is also the former President of the Federation of African Engineering Organisations (FAEO), added that the Africa Engineering Week (AEW) was focused on putting engineering at the forefront of policy making, promoting local content in engineering value chains, as well as embracing rapidly evolving technology.
“As Chairman of the AEW Steering Committee and Past President of FAEO, I reaffirm our unwavering commitment to using engineering as a tool of transformation — not just for building bridges and roads, but for building hope, resilience, and prosperity,” he said.
“(We must) put engineering at the forefront of policymaking and development agendas across the continent, as well as promote local content in engineering value chains by building a pipeline of skills that support infrastructure and technological development.
“We must also infuse capacity building across Africa and particularly in Uganda, to accelerate development aspirations and foster innovation ecosystems and use engineering to achieve the SDGs and Agenda 2063, advancing Africa’s place in global science and innovation,” Engineer Manuhwa said.
AEW was inaugurated in September 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa, under the bold theme “Engineering is a Life Changer!”
Since then, the event has grown into a vibrant platform, uniting engineers, governments, academia, youth, the private sector, and development partners to align engineering with Africa’s growth aspirations
He also informed delegates that Uganda would also be hosting the Africa Engineering Conference from 14 September to 20 September.
Engineer Manuhwa added: “The upcoming 11th Africa Engineering Week and 9th Africa Engineering Conference in Kampala, Uganda, will be held under the visionary call to action, built on the conviction that engineering is the key to unlocking Africa’s potential.
“Africa must leverage its population dividend, adopt artificial intelligence, embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and add value to its abundant natural resources. Without engineering, Africa cannot claim its rightful position as an economic giant in line with Agenda 2063.”
The conference will run under the theme: “Leveraging Engineering Innovations and Technology to Accelerate Africa’s Socio–Economic Transformation.”
Zimbabwe held the AEW in 2015 in Victoria Falls under the theme: “Engineering Innovation for Accelerated Infrastructure Development for Africa.”
