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Nomination period closed for 2023 Al-Sumait Prize, in Education; over 33 nominations received.

Kuwait City, October 10, 2023 – The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) has announced that over 33 nominations from over 10 countries have been received for the 2023 Al-Sumait Prize for African Development in its Education Category, which closed for nominations on the 30th September.


The nominations received comprised of prominent individuals, institutes, organizations and NGO’s working to develop and promote education as a main vehicle to drive socio-economic development in Africa.


The nominee’s dossiers will be reviewed and screened by a panel of experts in Kuwait to ensure that all applicants fulfil the basic requirements of the prize and then a short list of potential laureates will be produced. The final evaluation stage is entrusted to a Selection Panel composed of prominent international experts in the field, which will meet to study the shortlisted cases and reports of the evaluation team they will then recommend winner(s) of the Prize to the Board of Trustees.


The eventual winner(s) of the prize will be selected by the Al-Sumait Board of Trustees, which comprises prominent international personalities in the field of development in Africa and world-renowned philanthropists. The Board is chaired by His Excellency Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait.

Other trustees include Mr Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr Kwaku Aning, Deputy Director General and Head of Department at the International Atomic Energy Agency, and Mr Abdulatif Al- Hamad, Director General and Chairman of the Board of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development.


Announced by the late Amir of the State of Kuwait, H.H. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in November 2013 at the 3rd Arab African Summit, the aim of Al-Sumait Prize is to contribute significantly to solve major development challenges facing African nations. The prize celebrates the life of the late Dr Abdulrahman Al-Sumait, a Kuwaiti physician who devoted his life towards helping the poor in Africa.

Kuwait City, Kuwait, May 30 2023 – The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) today announced the call for nominations for the 2023 Al Sumait Prize for African Development in Education. The prize, which is worth $1 million, is awarded annually to individuals or institutions that have made significant contributions to the advancement of one of three fields, education, health, and food security in Africa.

The Al Sumait Prize is named after the late Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sumait, a Kuwaiti physician who dedicated his life to helping the poor in Africa. The prize was established in 2015 at the request of the late Amir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

The 2023 Prize area is Education and is to be awarded to individuals or institutions who through their research projects or initiatives have made significant advancement within one or more of the following areas (or other related fields):

  • Improving access to basic education, vocational and training programs, and/or higher education.
  • Improving literacy among all members of society.
  • Decreasing the dependence of children’s education on the socio-economic status of their parents.
  • Innovative approach to education that maximizes resources available (technology).

Eligible candidates include:

  • Organizations and research institutions whose initiatives and programs contributed significantly to solving education challenges in Africa.
  • Outstanding researchers who are nominated by their institutions and peers.

For more information on the prize and how to nominate, please visit the Al Sumait Prize website:

www.alsumaitprize.org/nominations

Agosto de 2021

As candidaturas ao Prémio Al-Sumait de US$ 1 milhão para o desenvolvimento africano na área da saúde foram encerradas

Cidade do Kuwait, Kuwait, 30 de agosto de 2021 – O Prémio Al-Sumait para o Desenvolvimento Africano, patrocinado pelo Kuwait, concluiu a sua fase de candidaturas para o Prémio de 2021 na área da saúde.  

“Este ano, o prémio reconhece os indivíduos e organizações que têm um foco especial na mitigação das crises sanitárias, como a Covid-19 e o SARS. A pandemia atual mostrou-nos que a crise sanitária tem um impacto desproporcional sobre as populações vulneráveis, por isso, tenho esperança de que o vencedor deste ano será capaz de oferecer soluções novas e inovadoras para os problemas cada vez mais complexos que o continente enfrenta”, afirmou Hassan Damluji, representante do Bill Gates da Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation no Conselho de Assessores.

O Conselho de Assessores, presidido pela Sua Excelência Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohamad Al-Sabah, o Ministério das Relações Exteriores no Kuwait, é composto por influentes especialistas de renome mundial, com ampla experiência e conhecimento no desenvolvimento africano. Recentemente, o Conselho recebeu um novo membro, o Sr. Abdoulie Janneh, diretor executivo da MO Ibrahim Foundation. Anteriormente, o Sr. Janneh atuou como ex-subsecretário geral e secretário executivo da Comissão Económica das Nações Unidas para a África. 

Os vencedores anteriores do Prémio Al-Sumait na área da Saúde foram o Professor Kevin Marsh da Universidade de Oxford e da Academia Africana de Ciências do Quénia pelos seus esforços contínuos para controlar e erradicar a malária; o Professor Salim S. Abdool Karim, diretor do Centro para o Programa de Investigação da SIDA na Universidade de KwaZulu-Natal; a Professora Sheila K. West, vice-presidente de investigação no Wilmer Eye Institute, da Escola de Medicina da Universidade Johns Hopkins; e o Rakai Health Sciences Program.

O Prémio Al-Sumait para o Desenvolvimento Africano, que homenageia indivíduos e/ou instituições que colaboram no avanço do desenvolvimento económico e social, no desenvolvimento de recursos humanos e nas infraestruturas em África, foi criado por iniciativa do falecido emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah. O prémio abrange uma de três categorias todos os anos: Saúde, Segurança Alimentar e Educação, e é administrado pela Fundação do Kuwait para o Avanço das Ciências (KFAS).

O Conselho deverá confirmar o vencedor do Prémio Al-Sumait de 2021 na área da saúde até dezembro deste ano.

Para mais informações sobre o Prémio Al-Sumait para o Desenvolvimento Africano, aceda ao Al Sumait Prize.org Para mais informações, contacte o nosso escritório no seguinte e-mail: [email protected]

Kuwait, April 15 2019 – The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) confirmed today that Daniel Gustafson Deputy Director-General (DDG) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been officially invited to join the Al Sumait Prize for African Development Board of Trustees.

The official invitation from Minister of Amiri Diwan Affairs Sheikh Ali Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah was handed over by Charge d’Affaires of the Kuwait Embassy in Rome Advisor Salem Al-Zamanan.

Gustafson praised the initiative as of international value and that it would stimulate scientific research to serve UN goals of sustainable development, help poor African communities and enable them to improve their living conditions. He said that being a board member will help to expand and develop the FAO partnership with Kuwait, especially in food security, which is the main task of the FAO and a key element of the UN Sustainable Development goals 2030.


“It is a world-class scientific forum that includes experts, scientists and specialists in various fields with a huge research and scientific archives due to cooperation with distinguished universities and scientific institutions”, Al- Zamanam described the UN organization.
Al-Zamanan expressed his pride in welcoming the FAO to participate in this initiative.

“We look forward to welcoming Mr. Gustafson to the Board of Trustees and the opportunity to strengthen our relationship with the FAO. To this end we will be extending the nomination period for the food security category of the prize till the end of May 2019 so as to make sure we have nominations for all those individuals and NGOs that are positively impacting food security development on the African continent.” Commented Dr. Adnan Shihab-Eldin Board Member and Director General of KFAS.

The Board is chaired by H.E. Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah,Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait. Other trustees include Mr. Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. Makhtar Diop World Bank’s Vice President for Africa and Mr. Abdulatif Al-Hamad, Director General and Chairman of the Board of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development.

Announced by the Amir of the State of Kuwait, H.H. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in November 2013 at the 3rd Arab African Summit, the aim of Al-Sumait Health Prize is to contribute significantly to solve major development challenges facing African nations. The prize celebrates the life of the late Dr Abdulrahman Al-Sumait, a Kuwaiti physician who devoted his life towards helping the poor in Africa.

For more information, visit www.alsumaitprize.org or contact the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS)

P. (+965) 22270465 E. [email protected]

Kuwait City, Kuwait, December 13 2017 – His Highness Deputy Amir Crown Prince Nawaf Al Ahmed Al Sabah awarded the 2017 prize, which comprises of one million dollars, a gold medal and shield at a special ceremony on the 13th December 2017 in Kuwait

FAWE the winner of Kuwait’s Al-Sumait Prize for African Development for 2017 in the field of Education received their award at a special ceremony held in Kuwait City

The 2017 Al-Sumait Education category award went to the Forum of African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Kenya, for their sustained efforts towards the achievement across the African continent of equity and equality in education through targeted programs.FAWE Africa Executive Director Hendrina Doroba said, “We feel tremendously honoured by this award that will be used to support our efforts in promoting and developing equity and equality in education on the continent, particularly through our centres of excellence and partnerships with governments across Africa.”

Initiated in 2013 by His Highness The Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah, the Al-Sumait Prize for African Development is designed to reward innovative and inspiring initiatives and research by individuals and organizations that address the challenges facing the African continent. The award recognizes and honours individuals or institutions that help advance economic and social development, human resources development and infrastructure in Africa.

Dr Adnan Shihab-Eldin, Director General of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), which administers Kuwait’s Al-Sumait Prize for African Development, told the audience that FAWE’s inclusive and strategic approach to tackling education inequality in particular between girls and boys education was truly inspiring”.

The Al-Sumait Board of Trustees comprises prominent international personalities in the field of development in Africa and world-renowned philanthropists. The Board is chaired by H.E. Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait.

Other trustees include Mr Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Makhtar Diop, Vice President of the World Bank for Africa, Dr Kwaku Aning, Former Deputy Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and Mr Abdulatif Al-Hamad, Director General and Chairman of the Board of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development.

Kuwait’s Al-Sumait Prizes are a set of annual awards designed to honor significant advances in the fields of food security, health and education in Africa. Administered by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) and a Board of Trustees, the awards celebrate the work and

accomplishments of Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sumait, a Kuwaiti physician who spent his lifetime helping the poor in Africa in the field of health and education. The objective of the prizes is to recognize best studies, scientific projects, applied research, and innovative initiatives that have a significant impact and lasting influence on advancing progress to economic and social development in Africa

Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, November 22 2016 –

The winners of Kuwait’s Al-Sumait Prize for African Development for 2015 and 2016 in the fields of health and food security today received their awards at a special gala ceremony held during the fourth Africa-Arab summit in Equatorial Guinea.

The Amir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah and President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Mbasosgo awarded the prizes, which comprise of one million dollars each and a gold medal to the three winners.

The 2015 Al-Sumait Health category award went to Professor Kevin Marsh of the University of Oxford and African Academy of Sciences, Kenya, for his sustained efforts to control and eradicate malaria, which affects the health of tens of millions of African children. He said, “I feel tremendously honored by this award that will be used to continue to support the development of science in the continent, particularly through supporting emerging young African research leaders”..

The 2016 Al-Sumait Food Security category award went to two joint winners, the Sweetpotato for Nutrition Team at the International Potato Centre (CIP), Lima, Peru and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria.

Speaking on behalf of CIP, Dr Barbara Wells Director General CIP said, “We are very honored that this work on bio fortified sweet potato has been recognised and awarded the Al-Sumait Prize for food security.”

Dr A Namanga Ngongi, representative of IITA, commented, “We are proud of this award and thank the Al-Sumait Prize for recognizing the efforts of IITA and our partners in helping African farmers and communities improve their livelihoods and enhance food and nutrition security through research and development on major food staples.”

Initiated in 2013 by His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah, the Al-Sumait Prize for African Development is designed to reward innovative and inspiring initiatives and research by individuals and organizations that address the challenges facing the African continent. The award recognizes and honors individuals or institutions who help advance economic and social development, human resources development and infrastructure in Africa.

Dr Adnan Shihab-Eldin, Director General of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), which administers Kuwait’s Al-Sumait Prize for African Development, told the audience that together all the recipients have implemented ground-breaking approaches to tackle and eradicate the scourges of malaria and under-nourishment. Dr Adnan also announced that the invitations for prize nominations for the Education field would open December 2016.

“All Al-Sumait nominees demonstrated a melange of disciplines and academic and real-life research that showed a deep passion to address the challenges facing the great continent of Africa in profound ways,” Dr. Shihab- Eldin said.

The Al-Sumait Board of Trustees, which comprises prominent international personalities in the field of development in Africa and world-renowned philanthropists. The Board is chaired by H.E. Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait.

Other trustees include Mr. Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Donald Kaberuka, Former President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Kwaku Aning, Former Deputy Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and Mr. Abdulatif Al-Hamad, Director General and Chairman of the Board of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development.

For more information, please visit www.alsumaitprize.org or contact the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) at:

P. (+965) 22270465
E. [email protected]

Or in Equatorial Guinea, contact: Julian Clarke-Jervoise, Al-Sumait Prize media onsite representative, + 240 222 185224

Kuwait’s Al-Sumait Prizes are a set of annual awards designed to honor significant advances in the fields of food security, health and education in Africa. Administered by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) and a Board of Trustees, the awards celebrate the work and accomplishments of Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sumait, a Kuwaiti physician who spent his lifetime helping the poor in Africa in the field of health and education. The objective of the prizes is to recognize best studies, scientific projects, applied research, and innovative initiatives that have a significant impact and lasting influence on advancing progress to economic and social development in Africa