Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, the Vice-Chancellor of the Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo, says the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated global cooperation, continental partnership, and national multi-sectoral coordination more than ever.
Ezemonye stated this on Tuesday in his address at the 2021 Annual Research Summit of the University, themed “Impact of COVID-19 on Research and Development’’.
According to him, global cooperation and partnership are necessary because the pandemic has sent shock waves through the global economy, social contracts, research, and development.
He expressed optimism that the summit would be a great opportunity to share experiences and knowledge exchange in the bid to address research deficiencies and boundaries.
The theme for the 2021 edition, he explained, was carefully selected to reflect the current realities on the subject and the global efforts towards mitigating them amidst the yawning gap associated with research and development.
According to him, governments are stretching their budgets in developed countries, while in developing countries acquisition of foreign loans has become the order of the day.
“This is the time for global co-operation, continental partnership, and national multi-sectoral coordination.
“Government in developing countries like Nigeria, have very limited resources to respond crisis,’’ he said.
Ezemonye however noted that the absence of adequate policy responses has not helped matters.
The vice-chancellor said that climate change responses, for instance, have fallen short of the Paris Agreement objective of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius to 2 degrees Celsius.
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“Restoring global dynamism and continental optimism are required to change the scenario.
“Responding to the fast-changing landscape is a must; we need to innovate, we need to reach out to new partners, we need to re-engage and build trust across the board,’’ Ezemonye said.
He said to sustain the summit over the year was predicated on the institution’s vision to be a Centre of Academic Excellence through teaching, research, and knowledge production in response to contextualized national and global needs.
