The webinar “Africa’s Key Role in the Brain Economy” was organised by the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association – EMEA in collaboration with the Brain Capital Alliance and Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and took place on Wednesday 13 March 2024.
The webinar explored the potential of neuroscience in shaping economic and policy decisions for Africa’s development. Building African brain capital is not just about improving individual health outcomes; it’s about fostering sustainable development, driving economic growth, and meeting societal challenges head-on. It’s an investment in the future of Africa and the world.
The webinar featured presentations from experts in various fields, who discussed topics ranging from the transition to a brain-positive economy and its implications for different income groups, to the interplay between brain capital, sustainability, gender equity, public-private and climate dynamics.
Closing the webinar EMEA Prof. Rym Ayadi, President and Founder of the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association – EMEA, highlighted: “Neuroscience holds the key to unlocking Africa’s vast potential by informing economic and policy decisions that nurture the cognitive and emotional capacities of its people. Through a deeper understanding of the brain, we can design interventions that enhance learning, boost productivity, and foster innovation, laying the groundwork for a future where Africa’s development is propelled by the full power of its greatest asset: Brain Capital.”
Agenda
Moderator: Prof. Rym Ayadi, EMEA President and Founder, Co-lead of the Brain Capital Alliance, CEPS Senior Advisor
Speakers:
- Harris A. Eyre MD PhD, Fellow at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, EMEA Advisor, Lead of the Brain Capital Alliance
- Zul Merali, Professor of Neuroscience, Aga Khan University, Kenya and Pakistan
- Massamba Thioya, Project Executive, UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub
- Alfred K. Njamnshi, Professor of Neurology & Neuroscience, Founder-CEO of Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN)
Discussants:
- George Vradenburg, Chair of Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative
- Funsho Allu, Partner, TIA Capital Management
- Ekkehard Ernst, Chief of the Macroeconomic Policy Unit, International Labour Organization, President of Geneva Macro Labs
- Kwame Sarpong Barneih, Partner, Head of Governance, Risk and Compliance Services, KPMG Ghana
