Press release -

Record Number of Nominations recieved for US$1Million Al Sumait Prize for African Development

Kuwait City, July11, 2018 – The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) has announced that it has received 108 nominations from over 36 countries for the US$1Million Health category of the 2018 Al-Sumait Prize for African Development, which closed for entries at the end of June.

The annual Al-Sumait prize, which is worth one million dollars, is awarded for significant advances in development in the categories of health, food security and education for Africa.

“This is the largest number of nominations we have received since the inaugural award in 2015. With nominations for 60 World Health Organization affiliated organizations and almost 50 individuals, from around the world, all dedicated to improving health across Africa this is a very encouraging development which provides a great opportunity to promote pioneering health development scientific, medical and social ideas to life in Africa.” said Dr Mustafa Marafi head of the KFAS Prizes Office.

The Al-Sumait Board of Trustees at their planned meeting in November will confirm the winner proposed by the selection committee for the prize. The Board comprises prominent international personalities in the field of development in Africa and world-renowned philanthropists. The Board is chaired by H.E. Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait.

Other trustees include Mr Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Makhtar Diop World Bank's Vice President for Africa, Mr Kwaku Aning, Deputy Director General and Head of Department at the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mr. Tareq Al-Mutawa Director General and Chairman of the Board of Sadeer and Mr Abdulatif Al-Hamad, Director General and Chairman of the Board of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development.

Past winners of the prize include Professor Kevin Marsh of the University of Oxford and African Academy of Sciences, Kenya, for his sustained efforts to control and eradicate malaria, the Sweet potato for Nutrition Team at the International Potato Centre (CIP) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) for their work on food security and the Forum of African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Kenya for their work on equity and equality of Education across Africa.

Announced by the Amir of the State of Kuwait, H.H. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in November 2013 at the 3rd Arab African Summit, the aim of Al-Sumait Health Prize is to contribute significantly to solve major health development challenges facing African nations. The prize celebrates the life of the late Dr Abdulrahman Al-Sumait, a Kuwaiti physician who devoted his life towards helping the poor in Africa.

For more information, visit www.alsumaitprize.org or contact the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS)

P. (+965) 22270465

E. info@alsumaitprize.org

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Kuwait's Al-Sumait Prizes are a set of annual awards designed to honor significant advances in the fields of food security, health and education in Africa. Administered by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) and a Board of Trustees, the awards celebrate the work and accomplishments of Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sumait, a Kuwaiti physician who spent his lifetime helping the poor in Africa in the field of health and education. The objective of the prizes is to recognize best studies, scientific projects, applied research, and innovative initiatives that have a significant impact and lasting influence on advancing progress to economic and social development in Africa. www.alsumaitprize.org

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