Future Africa welcomes UNU REACH-AFRICA Hub – A first for the continent
Future Africa is proud to serve as the institutional home of the United Nations University (UNU) Hub on Resilient Environment, Agriculture, Climate and Health for Africa (REACH-AFRICA), officially launched on 23 July 2025. This landmark initiative marks the establishment of the first UNU Hub in Africa and the broader Global South – a significant milestone in UNU’s 50-year history.
The Hub is hosted at the University of Pretoria (UP) through Future Africa, its pan-African platform for collaborative research. Established in partnership with the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), the UNU Hub on REACH-AFRICA aims to strengthen the science-policy-society interface and deliver African-led, transdisciplinary solutions to interconnected global challenges such as climate change, water and food insecurity, and public health.
“This is not just the first UNU Hub in Africa – it is a defining moment in the 50-year journey of the United Nations University,” said Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, UNU Rector and UN Under-Secretary-General. “We are proud that this flagship initiative is being launched in South Africa, at an institution that exemplifies scientific excellence, partnership and continental leadership.”
REACH-AFRICA will serve as a platform for African-led solutions to African challenges and create new opportunities for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and capacity development across the Global South. The agreement signed during the inauguration ceremony made UP the fifth university in the world to host a UNU Hub established in partnership with UNU-INWEH, following the launch of UNU Hubs at the University of Calgary (Canada), the Technical University of Hamburg (Germany), Lund University (Sweden), and the City College of New York (USA).
“This Hub personifies ‘By Africa, in Africa, for Africa’, and is all about amplifying African science, building strong partnerships, and developing solutions that will shape a just and resilient future for the continent and the world,” said Professor Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria. “It reflects our commitment to putting African expertise at the centre of global conversations around environment, agriculture, climate and health.”
The launch ceremony brought together senior leadership from UNU, UNU-INWEH, and the University of Pretoria. Speakers included Professor Sunil Maharaj (Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education) and Professor Wanda Markotter (Director of Future Africa). The event also acknowledged the leadership of Professor Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, Director of the Lancet Countdown Africa Regional Centre and incoming Executive Director of REACH-AFRICA.
Professor Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH, was recognised for his role in initiating the partnership and building a global coalition to support it. Under his leadership, UNU-INWEH will continue to coordinate and strengthen REACH-AFRICA as a dynamic node of research, education, and outreach on the continent.
“It is a great honour to start a new journey with academics in a nation that has inspired the world in many ways,” Professor Madani said. “We celebrate the beginning of a collaborative journey with the scientists of South Africa, the continent, and the world to advocate for what is right and what the world needs to know.”
Dr Thandi Mgwebi, Group Executive for Global Partnerships and Business Development at the National Research Foundation (NRF), described the launch as “a historic moment” and commended the initiative as a symbol of Africa’s growing scientific leadership and global agency.
“This Hub is not only the first of its kind in Africa but also a powerful symbol of Africa’s readiness to shape global agendas from the South,” she said.
REACH-AFRICA will also serve as the home of the African Academy for Water, Environment and Health (AA-WEH) – a UNU-INWEH-led initiative dedicated to fostering a transdisciplinary, pan-African community of practice. The Academy will promote collaborative research, capacity development, and context-specific solutions, with a strong focus on gender inclusion and sustainability.
During the event, gratitude was extended to the Government of Canada, host of UNU-INWEH for nearly three decades, and to the Government of Japan, whose support since UNU’s founding in 1975 has underpinned its global mission. Dignitaries from both countries, including H.E. Ambassador Fumio Shimizu (Japan) and Mr Matt Loken (Canada), were present and acknowledged for their longstanding partnerships.
The launch of REACH-AFRICA comes at a pivotal moment, as South Africa assumes the G20 Presidency for 2025 under the theme “Fostering Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainable Development”. With its focus on Africa’s development priorities, the UNU Hub is well-positioned to influence policy, shape dialogue, and catalyse transformative action on the continent and globally.
The event concluded with a collective call to action: to empower the next generation of African scientists, researchers, and leaders to co-create a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.
From left to right: Prof Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH, Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, UNU Rector and UN Under-Secretary-General, Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UP and Prof Wanda Markotter, Director of Future Africa.
Image credit: Eyescape
