Dr. Joanes Atela – the convener of Africa Research and Impact Network (www.arin-africa.org) and City Lead Tomorrows Cities – Nairobi Risk Hub has been appointed to the Strategic Advisory Group Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).

The Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) is a £1.5 billion fund that supports cutting-edge research to address challenges faced by developing countries. The fund is part of the UK’s official development assistance (ODA). The fund addresses the United Nations sustainable development goals, and aims to maximize the impact of research and innovation to improve lives and opportunities in the developing world.

On GCRF strategic funding, Dr. Atela comments that:

‘’The GCRF is a leading research funder in developing countries and has a unique model of connecting research activities to societal needs, something critical to changing nature of global challenges.’’

Asa member of the strategic group, Dr. Atela will work closely with other advisory group members  to provide a strategic research agenda and zprioritization of challenge topics; review the effectiveness of the fund and its delivery partners’ strategies; and offer solutions to the gaps within the existing funding mechanisms as well as drive new mechanisms  for allocating research funding and engage a range of stakeholders and communities relevant to the fund.

Dr. Atela is passionately looking forward to representing the broader African continent’s perspectives and those of Young Scholars across the globe.

‘’Africa’s strength is in its demographic dividend of the youthful population some of whom have been equipped with useful research skills over the years of GCRF funding. It is now time to consolidate, organize and mobilize these skills towards addressing pressing global challenges that Africa faces.’’ Dr. Joanes Atela

The ARIN Network takes this opportunity to congratulate Dr. Atela on this appointment and wishes him well in his new role as he inspires greater heights of research, policy, and strategic leadership.