Equatorial Guinea minister addresses UNESCO science prize event
Minister Clemente Engonga Nguema Onguene proposed collaboration between award winners and national universities.
Equatorial Guinea's Minister of State for Education, Science, Youth and Sports, Clemente Engonga Nguema Onguene, attended a UNESCO event in Paris on November 9, 2026, to mark 10 years of the Life Sciences Research Prize. He spoke on behalf of President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, reaffirming the nation's commitment to inclusive scientific research and reducing technological disparities.
During the event, the minister proposed creating collaboration mechanisms between the prize recipients and Equatorial Guinean universities to enhance national scientific training and research. UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany highlighted the importance of opportunities for scientific talent and recognized the contributions of five researchers, including Dr. Nancy Ip from China for Alzheimer's research and Professor Carlos Martín Montañés from Spain for a new tuberculosis vaccine.
The UNESCO-Guinea Ecuatorial International Prize also awarded Professor Adnane Remmal of Morocco for antibiotic resistance studies. The second edition of the African Women Scientists Scholarship Programme honored Dr. Aude Christelle Ka’e of Cameroon for pediatric HIV research and Dr. Azizath Moussiliou of Benin for malaria prevention studies, underscoring female contributions to public health research.
Why it mattersThe event directly involved Equatorial Guinea's Minister of State for Education, Science, Youth and Sports, who proposed strengthening national scientific research and training.