GRÓ and UNESCO explore opportunities of closer cooperation in Eastern Africa
UNESCO and GRÓ identified many opportunities in working closer together in Eastern Africa at meetings between GRÓ and the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa in Nairobi earlier this month. A GRÓ alumni event was also held at the UNESCO office, with UNESCO’s staff participation, where several areas were further explored. These include how UNESCO could tap into the expertise and knowledge of GRÓ fellows in the region, for instance in education, the STEM fields, gender equality and environment and nature related fields.
The GRÓ Centre for Capacity Development, Sustainability and Societal Change operates under the auspices of UNESCO as a Category 2 Centre. The GRÓ training programmes have, over the past four decades, been very active in the region of Eastern Africa. About 30% of GRÓ’s alumni have come from the thirteen countries covered by the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa. Kenya is the biggest cooperation partner of GRÓ worldwide in terms of number of fellows graduated, with 175 graduated fellows, followed by Uganda with 109 graduated fellows. In total, 443 fellows from the region, have attended the 5-6 month training in Iceland, in all four of the GRÓ programmes. In addition, 57 Eastern African fellows have been given a scholarship to pursue master studies in Iceland and 17 a PhD scholarship. About 70 short courses have been held in the region.
Prof. Hubert Gijzen, the Director of the Regional Office of UNESCO in Eastern Africa and dr. Alexandros Mikarigakis, Head of Natural Sciences Sector and Regional hydrologist, welcomed the Director General of GRÓ, Nína Björk Jónsdóttir, and Auðbjörg Halldórsdóttir, Iceland’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, to Nairobi. Several other meetings were held with different offices and divisions at the Regional Office, where opportunities in different sectors were further analysed.
During the visit to Nairobi, Nína Björk and Auðbjörg also had a meeting with dr. Evangeline Njoka, the Secretary General of the Kenyan National Commission to UNESCO. They also had a meeting with Mr. Gitonga Mugambi, the Principal Secretary of the Kenyan State Department for Irrigation.
