12 MARCH 2026 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG Africa Chapter, cont. from page 10 African aquaculture. I am always glad that our service order on leadership in sustainable aquatic food systems has been awarded the Global Technical Recognition Award from the FAO in 2025. This achievement highlights WAS’ vital role in the global development of sustainable aquaculture and underscores the organization’s importance to the FAO’s work in this field since the 1970s, including in Africa. This year, we will host a variety of events and activities, including regional outreach in select African countries. More updates will follow in the next column. My legacy will focus primarily on fostering cross-chapter and cross-regional collaborations, particularly in Africa. I am excited to announce that, through Stellenbosch University, I will be leading the African Union Centre of Excellence for Training and Research in Aquaculture. The University also currently heads the WAS-AC Student Development Portfolio. As announced during the WAS-AC Business Meeting in January and various other platforms, the WAS-AC reaffirms its commitment to join the United Nations and the African Union in celebrating 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, where we will highlight the vital role of African women in aquaculture value chains. We plan to launch this through an online event in March 2026. Lastly, please remember to RENEW your membership to WAS and encourage others in your networks to join WAS and walk with us during this action-packed year. Be sure also to REGISTER for the upcoming World Aquaculture Tanzania event (WA26T), which will take place in conjunction with Aquaculture Africa 2026 (AFRAQ2026) from December 1-4, 2026, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. All information is available on the WAS website www.was. org, and I hope to see many of you there! — Khalid Salie, President Capacity Building at Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) has retained her position as Regional Director: Eastern Africa. Dr. Tarus has served within the WAS structures for a number of years including being a Director in the WAS Global Board. She was also instrumental in Steering the organisation of the World Aquaculture Safari 2025 Uganda. Being an Eastern African lead Director, she will be strongly involved in the organisation of World Aquaculture 2026 in Tanzania. This is Dr. Tarus’s re-election to a second term. Prof. Daniel Adjei-Boateng, from the Department of Fisheries and Watershed Management at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana is now the Regional Director: West Africa. A long serving, passionate member of the WAS and renowned aquaculture professional in Ghana and West Africa, Prof. AdjeiBoateng takes over one of the most vibrant regions of the WAS-AC, containing the largest membership base. He is presently the coordinator for the upcoming World Aquaculture Ghana 2027 as well as Programme Committee Member for World Aquaculture Tanzania 2026. Prof. Adjei-Boateng replaces Mr. Lanre Badmus (Nigeria) who has been the Regional Director since 2018. Prof. Maryam ElBakali, the Associate Professor of BiologyAquaculture at Abdelmalek Essaadi University in Morocco, now takes over as Regional Director: North Africa. With over a decade of experience in research and international collaborations amongst other educational roles, Prof. ElBakali is expected to bring a wealth of energy and professionalism to a region that is very active on aquaculture research. A President and Founder of RAISEAqua Foundation, Prof. ElBakali takes over the North African regional leadership from Dr. Nevine Shabana (Egypt) who held that position since 2018. She desires to motivate the bringing of an AFRAQ to Welcome, cont. from page 10 Morocco in few years to come. These newly elected leaders bring extensive experience in aquaculture across the regions of Africa — further strengthening the Chapter’s cross-regional approach to advancing the long-term sustainable aquaculture development in Africa. WAS-AC also extends its sincere appreciation to its long-serving Board Members, who will stay in the Executive Board’s emeritus positions. Dr. John Walakira (Uganda) will now be President-Emeritus; Dr. Nevine Shabana (Egypt) and Mr. Lanre Badmus (Nigeria) will both take positions of Regional Director Emeritus. The Board of Directors Structure for 2026 now stands as follows: Dr. Khalid Salie, President (South Africa) Excom, Dr. Francisca Delgado, President Elect/Secretary (Angola) Excom, Dr. Foluke Areola, Immediate Past President (Nigeria) Excom, Dr. Bernice Mclean, Treasurer (South Africa) Excom, Dr. Victoria Tarus, Regional Director (Eastern Africa), Kenya, Dr. Judith Makombu, Regional Director (Central Africa), Cameroon, Ms. Alushe Hitula, Regional Director (Southern Africa), Namibia, Dr. Daniel Adjei-Boateng, Regional Director (West Africa) Ghana, Prof. Maryam Elbakali, Regional Director (North Africa), Morocco, Dr. Kevan Main, WAS AC Strategic Advisor (USA) and Mr. Blessing Mapfumo, Executive Officer: Secretariat (Zimbabwe). Executive Board Members 2026, EMERITUS include Dr. John Walakira, President Emeritus (Uganda), Dr. Sherif Sadek, President Emeritus (Egypt), Dr. Nevine Shabana, Regional Director Emeritus (Egypt) and Mr. Lanre Badmus, Regional Director Emeritus (Nigeria). For more information visit africanchapter@was.org. Top, Prof. Daniel Adjei-Boateng. Bottom, Prof. Maryam ElBakali.
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