Africa news roundup 8-14 March

South Africa signs SKA compact, KEMRI wins appeal in racism case, WHO launches global flu strategy, and more…

SKA treaty marks ‘new era’ says SA minister

South Africa’s science minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane joined counterparts from six nations on 12 March to sign a treaty creating the intergovernmental organisation tasked with overseeing the delivery of the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope. Ministers and officials from Australia, China, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom signed the compact in Rome. Kubayi-Ngubane said the event represented “a new era” for global science governance. “What makes this particularly unique is the fact that for the first time, Africa, Asia, Australasia and Europe, commit at the inter-governmental level to collaborate on a large-scale science project as equal partners,” she said.