TWAS Newsletter Vol. 20 No. 1

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Editorial: Progress on Three Fronts

(pages 2-7, 232 K): Additional funding; discussions with the Steering Committee; plans for the Academy's 25th Anniversary. TWAS and its associated institutions have recently moved ahead on three fronts. The following brief articles outline the progress that has been made.

Serving Science in OIC Countries

(pages 8-10, 264 K): Efforts to pursue science, technology and innovation in member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) are woefully inadequate. But the tide can be turned and science academies can lead the way, says TWAS executive director Mohamed H.A. Hassan.

A New Climate for Change

(pages 11-18, 216 K): What will climate change mean for the developing world, and what steps need to be taken to mitigate the impact of climate change among the world's poorest people? Jagadish Shukla and Daniel Schaffer describe the current state of scientific knowledge on climate change and explore a range of measures that might be taken to meet the complex challenges that it poses to the Earth's well-being.

Tunisia's Biotechnology Centre

(pages 19-27, 376 K): Scientific and technological capacity in the developing world continues to expand at a rapid pace. That's the good news. Yet, for this capacity to be sustained and strengthened into the future, it must be institutionalized in universities and research centres across the South and not simply held in trust by a few talented and well-trained individuals.

Growing Food in Urban Malawi

(pages 28-33, 184 K): Despite annual economic growth rates that have hovered around 5 percent over the past three years, sub-Saharan Africa continues to be plagued by problems of extreme poverty, food insecurity, inadequate healthcare, environmental degradation and substandard housing.

Connect and Communicate

(pages 34-40, 320 K): TWAS has joined a consortium of European, African and Caribbean partners to promote collaborative research projects in information and communication technologies. The project, funded by the European Union through the Seventh Research Framework Programme, will run for two years.

Disease and Mortality in Africa

(pages 41-45, 176 K): Widespread disease and high rates of mortality haunt Africa more than any other continent. While poverty and inadequate healthcare systems lie at the heart of the continent's healthcare woes, the spread of infectious diseases – both long-standing and emerging – often serve as the most immediate cause of illness and death. Peter McGrath, TWAS's acting programme office, provides a detailed portrait of the healthcare challenges that lie ahead for the world's poorest continent.

People, Places and Events

(pages 46-47, 96 K): Brief news about honours, appointments, awards and events.