Ameenah Gurib-Fakim Keynote Speaker

Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim is an internationally acclaimed biodiversity scientist and the former president of Mauritius.

Before taking on her role as Head of State, Dr. Gurib-Fakim founded and was the Managing Director of CIDP Research and Innovation. There she studied the medicinal and nutritious effect of plants in Mauritius, one of the world’s key biodiversity hotspots. She was also Professor of Organic Chemistry with an endowed chair at the University of Mauritius.

As a leader in the field of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim authored and co-edited 28 books, several book chapters, and scientific articles. She founded the Pan African Association of African Medicinal Plants where she co-authored the first ever African Herbal Pharmacopoeia.

Dr. Gurib-Fakim has lectured extensively across the world; is a member of several editorial boards of major journals and has served on technical and national committees in various capacities. She consults with international organisations such as the World Bank, UN, EU and CIDA on environmental issues and the importance of biodiversity.

In 2015, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim was appointed as the first female president of Mauritius. Following which, she was elevated to the Order of GCSK by the Government of Mauritius, admitted to the Order of Francois 1er des Deux Siciles by Prince Charles of Bourbon and received the ​Legion d’Honneur from the Government of France.

Elected fellow of several academies and societies, Dr. Gurib-Fakim is the recipient of many international prizes including the 2007 l’Oreal-UNESCO Prize for Women in Science and the African Union Commission Award for Women in Science 2009. She has received both the lifelong achievement award of the United States Pharmacopoeia-CePat Award and the American Botanical Council Norman Farnsworth Excellence in Botanical Research Award.

She has been honoured as one of Foreign Policy’s 2015 Global Thinkers and was named Forbes 100 ‘Most Powerful Women in the World’. Dr. Gurib-Fakim ranked 1st among the Top 100 Women in Africa Forbes List 2017 and received the Order of St George at the Semperopernball, Dresden, Germany and the Global Energy Parliament Award, State of Kerala, India, in 2018.

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim is a dedicated advocate for engaging women and girls in STEM innovation. She is currently working to advance awareness of global warming and promote new investments in science and technology in Mauritius and greater Africa. She partners the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to pilot PhD research grants and plans to expand the programme to as many as 10,000 other scientists across Africa in the future.