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African Academy of Sciences saddened at grantee Dr Kouassi Richard M’bra’s death
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African Academy of Sciences saddened at grantee Dr Kouassi Richard M’bra’s death
Nairobi, Kenya, November 2019-The African Academy of Sciences is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Dr Kouassi Richard M’bra who died tragically in a car accident on 16 November 2019 in Côte d'Ivoire. He was 39.
Dr M’bra was one of 21 African scientists to have received funding from the Climate Research for Development (CR4D) inititative, a UK DFID $2.5 M programme supporting African-led climate science research early this year. CR4D is an African-led initiative supported by a partnership between the AAS, the African Climate Policy Center (ACPC) of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS).
He was a lecturer and researcher at the University Peleforo Gon Coulibaly of Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire and an Associate Researcher in the Department of Environment and Health of the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques (CSRS) in Côte d’Ivoire.
Dr M’bra, a promising young researcher, was developing early warning systems to forecast periods of high malaria infection risk in Côte d’Ivoire as part of his CR4D fellowship before his untimely death. In addition to his CR4D research fellowship, he was also a research fellow of the Leading Integrated Research for Agenda 2030 in Africa (LIRA) initiative, a five-year programme of the International Council for Science (ICSU). He is survived by his wife, parents, brothers and sisters.
Judy Omumbo, the AAS Programme Manager for Affiliates and Postdoctoral Programmes said: “He will indeed be missed for his dedication, enthusiasm, humour and his commitment to improving the lives of African people through his work. The AAS and the CR4D family mourn his loss and send our deepest condolences to his family.”
Rest in peace Richard!