Announcement of the Official Formation of African Chapter of World Aquaculture Society
November 7, 2018
It is with great pleasure and excitement that we announce that on November
7, 2018, all requirements for formation of the African Chapter, WAS were
completed and the WAS Board voted the African Chapter into official status.
This result follows much hard work by many people and organizations after
the African Chapter concept developed initial momentum during World
Aquaculture 2017 in Cape Town, South Africa.
The African Chapter will quickly develop its official organization
structure and begin to operate throughout the whole of the African
continent. The initial operation will be guided by the interim Board of
Directors:
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The Interim Board President is Dr. Sherif Sadek from Egypt
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Dr. John Walakira from Uganda is the Interim President Elect
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Dr. Flower Msuya from Tanzania is the Interim Treasurer
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Zukiswa Nkhereanye is the Interim Secretary.
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Blessing Mapfumo is the AC Secretariat.
Khalid Salie, Fatima Samodien and Zukiswa Nkhereanye served on the AC
Steering Committee and worked closely with many others to put together the
bylaws and petition to form the Chapter.
A very import part of the future success of the African Chapter is the
belief and support of Aller Aqua for the African Chapter. Aller Aqua has
agreed to support the African Chapter, World Aquaculture Society (WAS) as a
FOUNDING GOLD SPONSOR, thereby contributing to the activities of the
Chapter and Society, and specifically to the development of its World
Aquaculture activities in the African region for a period of 3 years. Aller
Aqua will sponsor the Chapter activities as well as future workshops and
meetings.
“It is important for us to continue to have a positive impact on
aquaculture globally. Aquaculture is experiencing significant growth,
particularly in Africa, and it is vital to support initiatives which help
ensure that growth of aquaculture is facilitated all over Africa. This is
done through research as well as sharing knowledge. Besides our own
activities, we can help achieve this through our support of the WAS African
Chapter and their efforts. I am pleased that WAS have chosen to focus on
aquaculture in Africa and through the African Chapter recognize the large
diversity on the continent. We experience it when meeting with customers
from the various African countries” Niels Lundgaard, Aller Aqua’s
Commercial Director for Africa explains.
The African Chapter has begun participating in other African aquaculture
events and will begin planning workshops and meetings organized by the
African Chapter. The African Chapter will do whatever it can to promote the
growth of aquaculture in Africa!
Maria Celia Portella
President, World Aquaculture Society
For more information, contact Blessing Mapfumo africanchapter@was.org