University of Pretoria Becomes First UN Hub in Global South for Sustainability and Development

MOU signing. Back: Prof Tshilidzi Marwala and Prof Wanda Markotter. Front: Prof Kaveh Madani and Prof Francis Petersen

Established in partnership with the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU INWEH) at UP’s Future Africa Campus, this Hub aims to strengthen science-policy-society interfaces in Africa by advancing sustainable solutions to interconnected challenges such as climate change, food and water 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 UNU Rector and UN Under-Secretary-General Professor Tshilidzi Marwala. “We are proud that this flagship initiative is being launched in South Africa, at an institution that exemplifies scientific excellence, partnership and continental leadership.”

The Hub is housed at UP’s Future Africa, a leading pan-African platform for transdisciplinary research and innovation. 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. It reflects our commitment to putting African expertise at the centre of global conversations around environment, agriculture, climate and health,” said Professor Francis Petersen, vice-chancellor and principal of UP.

The launch event featured remarks by senior leadership from UNU-INWEH and the University of Pretoria, including Professor Sunil Maharaj (deputy vice-chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Education), Professor Wanda Markotter (director of Future Africa), and Professor Frans Swanepoel (research chair in Sustainable Food Systems). Also acknowledged was 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 pivotal role in initiating the Hub and building global partnerships. Under his leadership, UNU-INWEH will continue to coordinate and support the Hub as it grows into a vibrant node of research, education, and outreach across the continent.

“It is a great honour to start a new journey with academics in a nation that has inspired the world in many, many ways. We celebrate the start of another collaborative journey with the scientists of South Africa, of the continent, and of the rest of the world, facilitated by the United Nations University, to advocate for what is right and what the world needs to know,” Professor Madani said.

Dr Thandi Mgwebi, group executive for Global Partnerships and Business Development at the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF), said: “The launch of Reach-Africa is truly a historic moment. On behalf of the NRF, I wish to extend warm congratulations to the University of Pretoria and to all collaborators who have contributed to the birth of this ambitious and visionary initiative. This Hub is not only the first of its kind in Africa but also a powerful symbol of Africa’s scientific leadership, agency and readiness to shape global agendas from the South.”

The UNU Hub will also be the home to the African Academy for Water, Environment and Health (AA-WEH). This UNU-INWEH-led initiative will create a pan-African transdisciplinary community of practice. AA-WEH will promote joint research and capacity development, focusing on gender-balanced, context-specific solutions to Africa’s most pressing sustainability challenges.

During the launch event, UNU-INWEH extended special thanks to the government and people of Canada as its host for nearly three decades in Ontario. Canada’s continued support has been critical to UNU-INWEH’s global mission to address the grand water, environmental and health challenges of the UN member states. The presence of Mr Matt Loken, representing the High Commissioner of Canada to South Africa, was acknowledged with appreciation.

UNU also expressed deep gratitude to the government and people of Japan, whose five decades of steadfast support since UNU’s inception in Tokyo in 1975 have enabled the University to grow into a global network of research excellence. H.E. Ambassador Fumio Shimizu of Japan joined the celebration, underlining Japan’s ongoing commitment to UNU and its global mandate.

As South Africa holds the G20 Presidency in 2025 under the theme ‘Fostering Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainable Development’, aiming to tackle critical global challenges with a particular emphasis on Africa’s development, the Reach-Africa Hub is positioned to play a strategic role in shaping transformative policy and action on the continent and beyond.

The launch concluded with an inspiring call to action: empowering the next generation of African scientists, researchers, and leaders to shape a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future for all.