BREAKING NEWS

June 2006
Launch of the AIST affiliated center in Ouagadougou, Burkina-Faso, the Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering (IWEE): On June 16, the President of the Republic of Burkina-Faso laid the foundation stone for the upcoming International Institute of Water and Environment Engineering in Ouagadougou, Burkina-Faso. The World Bank and the French Government will contribute $2 million and $6 million respectively to the development of this Nelson Mandela Institution affiliated center of excellence. The creation of the IWEE aims at transforming the existing Institut D’Ingenierie de L’eau et de L’environnement into a world class centre of excellence for the study of water and the environment. The IWEE, which is an integral part of the AIST initiative of the Nelson Mandela Institute, is expected to become an international training and research platform for hydro-agricultural infrastructures, urban and rural water supply, sanitation and sustainable development related environmental issues on the African continent.

May 2006
Fuksas Architetto Appointed to Design AIST-Abuja Campus: After an exhaustive international architectural competition conducted for NMI by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), world-renowned architect Massimiliano Fuksas Architetto (www.fuksas.it) has been selected to design the first AIST campus in Abuja, Nigeria.

The winning attributes of the design by Fuksas included:

• The relationship of the campus to the city of Abuja.
• The modest and relaxed quality of the campus design where each of the zones were simply expressed.
• The beautiful water course alignment and open air museum for public art – not directly engaged with the built environment but instead a quiet independent place to enjoy.
• The quote from Nelson Mandela on the value and significance of education – proposed to be carved into the stone paving of the Nelson Mandela Square.
• The simple yet elegant design of the buildings which speak meaningfully of Africa but with an appropriate sense of modernity.
• The architect’s serious personal commitment to Africa and, in particular, to the development of this campus as a great opportunity.

Fuksas’s design team includes the world-class engineering firm Arup Engineers (www.arup.com). This team will commence work on the masterplan immediately, using local architects and engineers to ensure local conditions and materials are incorporated into the design.

African Development Bank Complete Preparation Mission in Nigeria: The African Development Bank (AfDB) recently completed a 3-week long visit to Abuja as a part of its appraisal of the AIST-Abuja project. Their third and final appraisal visit is expected in July 2006 before their Board meets in September to finalize their support AfDB for AIST-Abuja.

Nigerian Government Provides Seed Funding to NMI: The Federal Government of Nigeria recently committed $5m in cash to seed the first AIST campus in Abuja. These funds will support the initial design of the AIST-Abuja campus, as well as AIST’s first academic conference on African soil. This $5m follows Nigeria’s earlier $40m land and in-kind pledge.

World Bank to Consider Regional Funding of AIST: NMI has commenced discussions with the World Bank Group aimed at securing regional funding arrangements for the AIST-Abuja campus and its various regional centers of excellence. This process is expected to take 9 to 12 months to conclude.

NMI CEO meets Nigerian Petroleum Technology Development Fund: At the initiative of Nigeria’s minister for the Federal Capital Territory, the Honorable Nasir El Rufai, NMI CEO Dr. Karl Voltaire met with executives of Nigeria’s Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and submitted an application to PTDF for funding for AIST’s Gulf of Guinea Institute (G2I) – a center of excellence focused on the oil and gas industries. Up to $40m in funding was requested.

NMI Board Meets in Abuja, Nigeria: The Board of the NMI met in the NMI Secretariat Building for the first time in Abuja on 18 March 2006. Chaired by Nigeria’s finance minister, the Honorable Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Board endorsed the strategy of the secretariat. The next Board meeting is schedule for June 2006.

Independent Scientific Advisory Board Meets in London: NMI’s Independent Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB) met in London in February. The ISAB, comprising nine eminent scientists from around the world, endorsed AIST’s pedagogic philosophy and implementation strategy. The meeting was chaired by Phillip Griffiths, former Director of the “Einstein” Institute in Princeton, US.

Design Unveiling Planned for late-2006: The President of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Honorable Olusegan Obasanjo, will host an event to unveil the design of the AIST-Abuja campus in the fourth quarter of 2006. This event is expected to be widely attended and will be an event designed to showcase the AIST initiative.

NMI Secretariat Building Complete: The NMI’s secretariat building in Abuja, Nigeria is complete. The building was handed over by Nigeria’s minister for the Federal Capital Territory, the Honorable Nasir El Rufai, on Saturday 18 March 2006. NMI CEO Dr. Karl Voltaire was on hand to receive the premises from the government. At the time, Dr. Voltaire said: “NMI cannot thank the government of Nigeria enough for the support it has provided the AIST initiative to date. Our receipt of this building today signifies the beginning of the beginning in our quest to provide a world-class science and technology institute for the next generation of African scientists, engineers, and leaders”.

October 2005
Nelson Mandela Institution visits the University of California: For four days commencing Tuesday the 18 October 2005, NMI's CEO, the chairman of the African Scientific Committee, and representatives from the World Bank and International Finance Corporation visited the University of California. The purpose of the visit was to explore ways in which the two institutions might work together to advance the first African Institute of Science and Technology campus in Abuja, Nigeria. The visit included presentations to Bob Dynes, the President of the University of California, and to Gretchen Kalonji, the university's Director of International Strategy Development. It also included meetings with the heads of UCal's various interdisciplinary centers and other key academic staff. The visit was positively received by both sides and exploratory talks will continue.

Institut supérieur Inter-Etat de formation et de recherche dans les domaines de l’eau et de l’environnement (EIER-ETSHER) visit Washington: The Director and Deputy Director of EIER - a water and environmental engineering school based on Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso - visited the World Bank in Washington DC during the week of 17 October 2005. They also accompanied NMI to the University of California. EIER is working with NMI to become an affiliated center of excellence with the AIST.

International architectural competition launched: On the 5 October 2005, the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) launched, on behalf of NMI, an international architectural competition to design the first AIST campus in Abuja, Nigeria. Expressions of interest from interested parties are required to be submitted to RIBA on 7 November 2005. Shortlisted architects will then be invited to submit concept designs for the campus. It is envisaged that concept designs will be submitted in mid-January 2006 with the winner being announced in February. The link to RIBA's competition page is below: http://www.riba.org/go/RIBA/Also/Competitions_3898.html

NMI secretariat building nearing completion: The NMI's secretariat building in Abuja, Nigeria is nearing completion. The building itself was handed over by the developers to the Nigerian government in September. It is currently being fitted out with partitions, furniture, and IT equipment to provide the secretariat with modern amenities from where its work can be completed. NMI is expected to occupy the building from January 2006.