By Mahzouba Maya Faal
The UNESCO-India-Africa Hackathon was officially opened on the 22nd of November 2022 at the Gautum Budda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India by Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh of Gautum, on behalf of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of India.
The Gambian delegation in attendance include the High Commissioner of the Republic of The Gambia in India, Mr. Mustapha Jawara; officials from the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, headed by Permanent Secretary Dr. Yusupha Touray; and 10 students from different institutions in The Gambia. Other African countries in attendance include Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Botswana, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Morocco among others.
In his opening remarks, the Chief Minister welcomed all participants and delegates to the UNESCO-India-Africa Hackathon and stated that India and Africa’s bilateral relations are exemplary and that the collaborative fight against colonialism and the close cooperation between developing countries is the foundation of the strong relations.
He described the UNESCO-India-Africa Hackathon as a noble initiative and a first of its kind in the world that has the capability to take India and Africa relations to a whole new paradigm.
The Hackathon is a 36-hour event from the 22nd to 25th of November 2022 by students from India and 500 plus students from 22 African countries. These students are divided into 100 teams to find innovative solutions to 20 problem statements in the fields of education, energy, drinking water and sanitation, agriculture, health and hygiene. The end results can lead to the establishment of startups.
