Dr Diaka Sidibé, outgoing CAMES president, hands over to incoming President Pr Charles Edgard Mombo in Libreville on 19 June
The 43rd ordinary session of the Council of Ministers of the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES), held in Libreville from 15 to 19 June 2026, concluded with a key decision: Gabon, through its Higher Education Minister Pr Charles Edgard Mombo, assumed the rotating presidency of the institution for one year. This strategic responsibility places the country at the heart of efforts to modernise, excel and raise the profile of African higher education.
At the close of the session, marked by the adoption of several recommendations and resolutions, the Gabonese minister reaffirmed his country’s determination to turn this mandate into a period of concrete actions and measurable results for the benefit of universities, lecturers, researchers and students across the CAMES space.
“This year of Gabon’s presidency will be a year of rigorous follow‑up on the Council’s decisions so that every adopted resolution translates into tangible outcomes,” said Mr Mombo while outlining the main directions of his term.
Gabon intends to ensure diligent implementation of the adopted recommendations, promote stronger quality assurance and academic excellence in higher education institutions, support initiatives to increase the international visibility and attractiveness of scientific research produced in member states, and encourage the digital transformation of higher education and research.
This vision, he stressed, is in line with the work already carried out by the CAMES General Secretariat under Pr Souleymane Konaté. The 43rd ordinary session thus endorsed the proposals made by experts who met earlier, from 15 to 16 June in Libreville. It notably adopted an ambitious revitalisation strategy designed to strengthen CAMES’ position on the global scientific stage. Despite its considerable potential, CAMES currently accounts for only about 2% of world scientific output.
To reverse this trend, several innovative avenues were selected, including the creation of a virtual CAMES Academy. Presented as a true centre for scientific and academic services, this digital platform will support states and higher education and research institutions in their efforts to improve university performance, foster knowledge sharing, and strengthen researcher capacities.
The programme championed by Gabon also emphasises stronger solidarity among member states, development of academic mobility, intensification of scientific cooperation, and promotion of innovation, university entrepreneurship, and graduate employability.
Guinea’s Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation Minister Dr Diaka Sidibé, the outgoing president of the CAMES Council of Ministers whose governance was praised by her peers, welcomed member states’ commitment to transforming the institution and expressed confidence in Gabon’s ability to continue the reforms.
The Libreville session also paid tribute to the President of the Gabonese Republic, Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, whose unwavering support for higher education, scientific research, and African academic integration was unanimously acknowledged by participants.
With this presidency, Gabon inherits a strategic mission: to make CAMES an ever more efficient, innovative, and competitive space capable of meeting contemporary challenges in training, research, and development. This ambition could usher in a new era for African higher education and further strengthen its influence on the international scientific scene.
The supreme governing body of CAMES decided that the 44th ordinary session of the Council of Ministers will be held in 2027 in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
