Kolkata, October 7, 2026

In a significant step towards strengthening India–Africa scientific cooperation, Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), under Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the University of Ghana exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Tuesday (6 October 2026) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Accra, Ghana.

The collaboration reflects the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to deepen India’s engagement with African countries through partnership, knowledge sharing, capacity building and collaborative development, while contributing towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

On behalf of the ZSI, the MoU was exchanged by Mr. Sevala Naik Mude, Additional Secretary, Central and West Africa Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, with Prof. Francis Gbogbo, Dean, School of Biological Sciences, University of Ghana.

The ceremony was also graced by the presence of Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India; Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ghana; and Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education of Ghana. Their presence underscored the importance attached by both countries to strengthening bilateral cooperation in science, education, research and capacity building.

Dr. Dhriti Banerjee, Director, Zoological Survey of India, and Dr. Mukesh Thakur, Scientist-D, ZSI, were on official deputation to Ghana to explore and strengthen areas of scientific collaboration with the University of Ghana. The areas identified for future cooperation include One Health and disease surveillance, biodiversity monitoring, conservation genomics, and the application of advanced genomic tools for biodiversity conservation and management.

During the visit, Dr. Dhriti Banerjee interacted with Ghanaian academicians and scientists and shared ZSI’s long-term vision for building sustained institutional partnerships between India and Ghana. She emphasised the need to develop collaborative research programmes, promote exchange of expertise and young researchers, strengthen capacity building, and jointly address emerging challenges in biodiversity conservation, wildlife health, One Health and environmental sustainability.

Shri Surinder Bhagat, High Commissioner of India to Ghana, along with senior officials of the Indian Mission, Ministry of External Affairs, and the University of Ghana, including Dr. Juliet Ewool Quansah and Prof. Ben Ofori, also attended the ceremony.

The MoU establishes a broad framework for cooperation in academics, scientific research and capacity building, with particular emphasis on biodiversity research, conservation, environmental sciences and genetics. The partnership is expected to facilitate joint research programmes, exchange of scientific knowledge and expertise, training and capacity-building initiatives, collaborative field and laboratory studies, and stronger institutional linkages between India and Ghana.

The MoU also builds upon ZSI’s existing scientific engagement in Ghana. Over the past three years, ZSI has been associated with biodiversity research in the country, including a Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)-supported project on pangolin conservation, led by Dr. Mukesh Thakur, with a focus on conservation research and the development of molecular tools to strengthen wildlife crime investigation and control.

This partnership marks an important milestone in ZSI’s expanding international scientific engagement in Africa and provides a strong platform for addressing shared challenges related to biodiversity conservation, environmental sustainability, wildlife health, disease surveillance and human-resource development.

Through this collaboration, the ZSI and the University of Ghana aim to combine their scientific expertise and institutional strengths to promote innovative research, strengthen conservation science, enhance capacity building, and contribute to the sustainable management and monitoring of biodiversity and natural resources.

 

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