Resources < Meetings < Annual Meeting 2025

2025 Annual Meeting: Lusaka, Zambia

Join this meeting of the best minds in the world working together for healthy African Great Lakes.

Collaboration is paramount. With our six advisory groups and other global experts, we activate collective knowledge, passion, and resources to solve the challenges that threaten the African Great Lakes.

At this meeting we will:

• Learn from each African Great Lakes Advisory Group to advance solutions
• Inform the future of AGL monitoring, education, and training
• Break down gender barriers to tap into strong, inclusive solutions
• Work across borders to inform game-changing freshwater decisions

The African Great Lakes Stakeholder Network is a highly collaborative group of freshwater and large lakes experts from around the world. At the heart of the network is over 140 African Great Lakes experts who are, together, addressing the most critical issues on these seven African Great Lakes which hold over 25% of the world’s freshwater and support millions of people.

Guests, observers, and specialists are welcome to attend and participate.

The African Great Lakes Stakeholders Network, and this meeting, are facilitated by the African Center for Aquatic Research and Education and developed, informed, and advised by the partners and experts working on the African Great Lakes.

Annual Meeting Agenda

Updated: February 3, 2025

Day 0: Monday, February 03, 2025

Various times: participants arrive

8:00am – 2:30pm: ACARE Board Meeting (Board and Secretariat)
3:00pm – 5:00pm: Council of Advisory Groups Meeting (Invite only)
5:00pm – 7:00pm: Annual Meeting Registration (All participants) – MICC
5:30pm – 6:30pm: New AWIS 2025 cohort orientation (Invite only) – Asmara Hotel
6:30pm: African Women in Science (Re)union (Invite only) – Asmara Hotel

Open evening: No events scheduled, dinner on your own

Day 1: Tuesday, February 04, 2025

7:00am – 8:00am: Registration and arrival
8:00am – 10:10am: Welcoming remarks with guest speakers
10:10am – 10:30am: Declaration of 2025 ACARE Annual Meeting open – Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries & Livestock, Republic of Zambia -Ms. Eng. Himba Cheelo
10:30am – 11:00am: Tea break – conference photo
11:00am – 12:45pm: Advisory Group Report Session: Reflections of 2024

• LEEAG – See presentation
• LKAG – See presentation
• LMNNBFAN – See presentation
• LT-SAG – See presentation
• LTuAG – See presentation
• LVAG – See presentation

12:45pm-1:45pm: Lunch
1:45pm – 3:00pm: ACARE Program Talks
5:30pm – 5:40pm: Evening Dinner and Social – Sponsored by WorldFish
Evening talk: Graham Survey of Lake Victoria 100 Years On: A Second Detailed Lake-Wide Survey of Lake Victoria in 2027-2028. By Dr. Antony Taabu-Munyaho

Day 2: Wednesday, February 05, 2025

8:00am – 8:15am: Opening remarks/Climate setting
8:15am – 9:00am: North American Great Lakes Lake Committees and the African Great Lakes Advisory Groups: History, processes, and lessons – Dr. Marc Gaden
9:00am – 9:30am: Council of Advisory Group – Julius Manyala
9:30am – 11:00am: Capacity Building Session I: Effective Science Communication – Sumeep Bath and Mary Kasoka Mwiikisa
11:00am – 11:30am: Tea Break
11:30am – 1:00pm: Capacity Building Session II: Fundraising for Healthy Lakes – Louis St.-Cyr and Sloans Chimatiro
1:00pm – 2:00pm: Lunch
2:00pm – 5:00pm: Advisory group break-out sessions: Interactive discussions on the future & setting objectives for 2026

• LEEAG, Mbalassa Mulongaibalu – Room 03
• LMNN, Ngatunga Ben – Roomn 01
• LKAG, Riziki Walumona – Room 02
• LT-SAG, Lloyd Haambiya – Banquet Hall​
• LTuAG, Mulugeta Wakjira – Room 08
• LVAG, Anthony Munyaho – Room 09

5:00pm-8:00pm: Poster session and social. Dinner on your own.

Day 3: Thursday, February 06, 2025

7:30am – 8:30am: Opening remarks/Climate setting
2:00pm – 5:00pm: Advisory group break-out sessions: Interactive discussions on the future & setting objectives for 2026

• LEEAG, Mbalassa Mulongaibalu – Room 03
• LMNN, Ngatunga Ben – Roomn 01
• LKAG, Riziki Walumona – Room 02
• LT-SAG, Lloyd Haambiya – Banquet Hall​
• LTuAG, Mulugeta Wakjira – Room 08
• LVAG, Anthony Munyaho – Room 09

10:30am – 11:00am: Tea break
11:00am – 11:20am: Defining the future: Council of Advisory Groups Action Plan
11:20pm – 1:00pm: Council of advisory groups report-out session
1:00pm – 2:00pm: Lunch
2:00pm – 3:00pm: Future Actions and Global Connections
3:00pm – 3:30pm: Tea break
3:30pm – 5:00pm: Long-term monitoring discussion: Mapping the future
6:00pm-9:00pm: Annual Meeting Dinner Gala: Entertainment, celebrations, announcements, and closure. Generously sponsored by GIZ

Day 4: Friday, February 07, 2025

7:00am – 10:00pm: All participants depart

Venue and Hotels

Conference Venue:

Mulungushi International Conference Center [MAP]
8025 Great E Rd
Lusaka, Zambia

Transportation:

Participants are responsible for their own transportation from the hotel you choose to the conference centre. Many of the hotel options listed below are within walking distance to the conference centre.

Hotels:

Please note: You are responsible for reserving and paying for your own accommodations.

Please note that there are ample hotels and other accommodations in the area. They range in location from in-city to beach-locations.

Travel Tips, Needs, and Information

Visa Acquisition:

Obtain Visa PRIOR to arrival:

• Ethiopia

Please confirm whether you need an eVisa, a Visa-on-arrival, or none at all.

Meeting Contact, Questions, and Inquiries:

Ted Lawrence: ted@agl-acare.org

ACARE Business Office: info@agl-acare.org

Hosts

Funders

Partners

Supporters

Conference Participants

A list of participants of the Annual Meeting of the African Great Lakes Stakeholder Network, Lusaka, Zambia, February 6-8, 2024 will be listed here after the meeting. The purpose is to enhance connectivity between experts. If you wish to contact any of the participants, please first contact Mr. Zeph Migeni, Advisory Groups Program Manager for ACARE. He will facilitate communications.