On the margins of the 5th International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA24) Conference in Kigali, the Organisation of Southern Cooperation (OSC) hosted a high-level panel discussion under the theme ‘Bridging Worlds of Knowledge – Promoting Endogenous Knowledge Development.” The interactive session fostered an understanding and unpacking of the theme – Endogenous Knowledge – and shared insights about harnessing diverse information and transdisciplinary research, in promoting and integrating home-grown or internally produced information into science advice, policy-making, and transformation, in the Global South.

The panel of experts consisted of, Dr. Wahid Majrooh, former Health Minister of Afghanistan, and Founder and Executive Director of the Afghanistan Centre for Health and Peace; Dr. Alice Karekezi, a national of Rwanda, and a scholarly practitioner from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, focused on decolonising international norms and construction of knowledge; Prof. Norbert Hounkonou, President of the African Science Academies (NASAC) and Chairperson of the OSC Conference of Associate Members; Prof, Hirut Woldemarian, Under-Secretary-General for Research, Evaluation and Foresight (REEF), at the OSC and Prof. Abdelajil Akkari, professor of Comparative Education at the University of Geneva, in Switzerland.