A flagship Pan-African convening repositioning science as a cultural, political, and economic force shaping Africa's next decade.
Four interconnected priorities that frame every conversation, session, and outcome of the conference.
Innovative models for sustainable domestic R&D investment, philanthropy, sovereign wealth, blended finance, and budget advocacy aligned with AU STI commitments.
Agile, trustworthy governance, crafting and harmonizing regulatory frameworks from ethics review to market approval that safely accelerate scientific progress.
Spanning academia, research infrastructure, applied innovation, and local manufacturing, leveraging AI, genomics, and digital platforms from foundational research to advanced production.
Combating misinformation, fostering science literacy through media and arts, ethically engaging indigenous knowledge holders, and demonstrating science's relevance to everyday life.
Five milestone moments from June through September 2026.
Student-led advocacy on AMR awareness and safe drug disposal across communities.
Submissions open for Africa's 3-Year Health R&D Priorities, all stakeholders invited.
Preparatory convening aligning policymakers and researchers before the main event.
Three engagement zones and plenary sessions defining Africa's health science decade.
A networking and social evening for participants to connect and unwind, with a live band and entertainment.
CHReaD's Science Action Agenda is a collective declaration co-created with researchers, academia advocates, and policymakers of what Africa must do, fund, and build between 2026 and 2029.
Africa accounts for 24% of the global disease burden but less than 1% of global health R&D investment. The Science Action Agenda names the specific structural changes, funding, capacity, access, that will shift this within three years.
Coalition members can shape the agenda directly. Submit priorities, endorse existing ones, or join a working group ahead of the September 2026 launch.
Contribute to the Agenda| Track A | Track B | |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 8 Sep 2026 | Sustainable Financing for Local R&D Govt & Donor Round Table | Africa's One Health: Science Without Communities Doesn't Work |
| Where Money Meets Discovery A Financiers Round Table | Advancing Indigenous Knowledge in Scientific Systems | |
| Faith and Science | Building Markets for African Health Innovation | |
| Clinical Research Sovereignty: From Participants to Principles | ||
| Day 2 9 Sep 2026 | The DVC's Round Table | Education Meets Reality |
| The Future of Education | State of AI for Healthcare | |
| Scaling Local Manufacturing and Innovation | The Future of Health Care (Genomics and Personalized Health Care) | |
| 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Culture of Science Minds & Mixers | ||
| Day 3 10 Sep 2026 | Combating Health and Science Misinformation in the Digital Age (Media Round Table) | Africa Voices of Science Forum (Raising the Voices of African Science) |
| Creating Demand for Science Through Storytelling | Designing Power: Legacies Beyond Pain | |
| Negotiating the Science Action Agenda | ||
A relaxed networking and social evening that brings conference participants together to connect, engage, and unwind. Enjoy an evening of good company, a live band, and entertainment as conversations from the day carry on in a warmer, more informal setting.
CHReaD member organizations are eligible for discounted registration rates. Members should contact the CHReaD Secretariat before completing their registration to receive their discount code and registration instructions.
For exhibition opportunities and partnership enquiries, please contact the CHReaD Secretariat at cultureofscience@amref.org.
Submit your interest to attend the Culture of Science Conference 2026. Whether you're a researcher, policymaker, partner, or investor, we'd love to hear from you and tailor your participation to match your goals.
8–10 Sep · Nairobi, Kenya