The 2024 Evidence to Action (E2A2024) Conference officially kicked off yesterday, 24 July, at the ISSER Conference Center, following two days of dynamic pre-conference activities. Drawing over 300 participants from more than 40 countries, the main conference opened with an inspiring session featuring distinguished speakers like Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, and Hon. Ophelia Mensah Hayford, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation. They highlighted crucial themes including resilience, adaptation, evidence-based policy solutions, and collaborative efforts to address climate change. The day also showcased an exhibition of innovative climate research outputs and products.
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Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo emphasized the importance of the conference, stating, "At this critical time in the history of our countries, bringing policymakers, practitioners, and researchers together to deliberate on the challenges posed by climate change with the view to identifying and proposing solutions is indeed a laudable initiative." She also highlighted the University of Ghana's commitment to deepening partnerships to tackle development challenges.
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Dr. David S. Ameyaw, President/CEO of the International Centre for Evaluation and Development, reflected on the E2A Conference’s evolution since its inception in 2017. "This conference started in 2017, inspired by the need for Africa to shape our development priorities with sound evidence generated on the continent," he said. Dr. Ameyaw noted that the conference has been held in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Ghana, with this year's edition being the second hosted by ISSER. He stressed the goal of the conference: "Our goal and expectation is that through the discussions, the presentations, and deliberations, Africans will develop solutions to adapt to the impact of climate change."
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Prof. Peter Quartey, Director of ISSER, expressed his gratitude to all those who contributed to making the conference a reality. "This [conference] marks many months of dedicated work by a joint team from ISSER, ICED, and other partner organizations," he said. Prof. Quartey underscored the relevance of the conference theme, stating, "ISSER is deeply committed to advancing research policy and solutions that address these challenges. Let us seize this opportunity to create a future where evidence practices become the norm."
Andrew Read, Economic Growth Office Director at the USAID Mission in Ghana, highlighted USAID's initiatives in Ghana to build resilience against climate change effects. He urged participants to share best practices, identify resilient strategies, and commit to finding solutions through collaborations and partnerships. "Together, we can develop innovative solutions toward a more climate-resilient Ghana," he said.
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In her keynote address, Hon. Ophelia Mensah Hayford, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, stressed the importance of resilience and adaptation. "Resilience and adaptation are crucial topics to discuss," she noted, citing various initiatives Ghana has implemented to help communities adapt to climate change. "It is my hope that this conference will come out with homegrown solutions to solve the problems posed by climate change within our sub-region,” she noted, before officially declaring the conference open.
Other notable speakers included Prof. Kwaku Appiah-Adu, Special Advisor to the Vice President’s Secretariat, Office of the President, Ghana; Dr. Emmanuel Marfo, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment and Science, Ghana; Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Ghana; Dr. Namanga Ngongi, Board Chairman of the International Centre for Evaluation and Development; and Dr. Evans Aggrey-Darkoh, Head of Civil Service, Ghana.
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The first day also featured an exhibition of scientific publications and climate-smart products, a roundtable discussion, and plenary presentations, setting a collaborative and forward-looking tone for the rest of the conference.
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