Yaoundé, Cameroon, 22 July 2024 – The Founder and President of the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association – EMEA, Prof. Rym Ayadi, Professor at the Bayes Business School, City University of London, and Co-Founder of the Brain Capital Alliance and Professor Harris A. Eyre, Lead of the Neuro-Policy Program, Senior Fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and EMEA Advisor were among the main speakers of Scientific Technical Meeting of the African High-Level Science Summit on Brain Economy, Brain Health & Brain Capital on which the Yaoundé Declaration was launched.
The Scientific Technical Meeting of the African High-level Science Summit was organized by the Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN) on World Brain Day 2024 and was part of the Brain Week in Cameroon & Africa. Co-organizers included the Brain Capital Alliance, the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association – EMEA, the Neuro-Policy Program of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University, the Neuroscience Institute at The University of Cape Town, the Continental Association of African Neurosurgical Societies (CAANS), The African Academy of Sciences and The Cameroon Academy of Sciences.
In her intervention Prof. Ayadi spoke about the importance of Brain Health and the Brain Economy and underlined that “investing in brain health and brain capital is not just a strategy for economic growth; it is a commitment to building a resilient, innovative, and inclusive future.”
Dr. Eyre delivered the presentation “Mobilizing Entire Economies: The Brain Economy Strategy” on the importance of the Brain Economy and noted “we must learn from the clean energy economic transition and mobilize our entire economy, public, private and philanthropic sectors, to achieve a brain-healthy economy. This is the only way we can bend the $2.2 trillion dollar cost of mental and neurological disorders.”.
Key speakers at the Technical Scientific included:
The key outcome of the Scientific Technical Meeting of The African High-level Science Summit was the launch the Yaoundé Declaration on the Brain Economy, Brain Health, and Brain Capital. The Declaration will now proceed to the Cameroon Government for processing by the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79).
“With Cameroon assuming the presidency of the UNGA79, this Declaration aims to demonstrate African leadership in brain and society innovations”, noted Professor Alfred K. Njamnshi, Founder and CEO of BRAIN. “BRAIN led global stakeholders to outline a new economic approach for African jobs, economic growth, sustainability, resilience, health and well-being. This Declaration lays out a roadmap for how Africa can leapfrog other economies by deftly deploying brain science-inspired policies and investments.”
Professor Njamnshi was an invited speaker at a recent EMEA webinar, ‘Africa’s Key Role in the Brain Economy’, and coauthor on recent brain economy papers including an invited review in the Malaysian Journal of Medical Science, ‘The Brain Economy: Advancing Brain Science to Better Understand the Modern Economy’, and a Research Report with The Brookings Institution, ‘4 ways to make the economy brain healthy’.
Professor Eyre, noted, “This Declaration is a testament to African leadership and to generous support across Global North and Global South. We must rapidly transition from a brain-unhealthy economy to a brain-healthy economy, to unlock greater wellbeing, productivity and creativity. This means investing in the brain capital of nations, encompassing brain health and brain skills. We must begin actioning opportunities across public, private and philanthropic spheres. This Declaration rapidly advances global action”. Eyre is also Executive Director of the Brain Capital Alliance.
From her side, Prof. Rym Ayadi highlighted: “The Yaoundé Declaration, which we propose to submit to the Cameroon Government for integration into the UN system, emphasizes the critical role of brain health, cognitive and mental wellbeing as the cornerstone of a wellbeing economy. By prioritizing these elements, we lay the foundation for sustainable development that benefits all.”
This Declaration will also be presented by BRAIN and discussed at the Inaugural Future of Dementia in Africa Nature Conference, September 11 and 12, co-organized by the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative and Aga Khan University, and the UNGA79 Science Summit Brain Days, September 18, 19 and 20.
