A ZIMBABWEAN academic has been confirmed as the founding
chairperson of an African geographical research institution — the International
Geographical Union (IGU) commission on African Studies — the first of its kind
on the continent.
Innocent Moyo, a lecturer at University of Zululand’s
faculty of geography and environmental studies in South Africa was confirmed at
the commission’s inaugural conference held recently at the University of
Namibia.
The commission aims to foster networking and develop
teaching and research in all aspects of African geography, the group said in a
statement.
“The African continent in and of itself offers a plenitude
of material for geographical scholarship that would benefit the discipline and
humanity,” the commission said.
“Against this background, it is strongly anticipated that
the formation of an African Commission will not only undo the foregone loss to
scholarship and humanity caused by the absence of a dedicated commission that
looks into things African, but will also assist in promoting and elevating
African geographies in the IGU fold of programmes and activities and the cause
of science, in general,”.
Moyo told Southern Eye the geographical body he now leads
will seek to promote African and Africanist research on geographical issues in
the continent.
“The overarching aim of the body is to promote African and
Africanist (non-African scholars with a keen interest in conducting research on
African geographical issues) scholarship on issues in and around Africa,
ranging from social sciences to natural sciences, but informed by geographical,
multi and interdisciplinary perspectives,” Moyo said.
He emphasised the need for all stakeholders to partner with
the body to champion cutting edge research and scholarships which would
contribute towards “addressing problems that afflict African humanity today and
in the future”. Newsday
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