Day: April 15, 2022

Posted on

AI Week brings together the world AI community

Four days of events will feature keynotes and talks from leaders in AI and machine learning

EDMONTON, Alberta, April 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Amii (the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute) has announced the program for AI Week, May 24-27 in Edmonton, Canada. With more than 20 events taking place across four days throughout the city, the celebration of Alberta’s AI excellence will feature an academic keynote from Richard S. Sutton, leading expert in reinforcement learning, who will discuss future research directions in the field.

The jam-packed week also includes panels on AI career paths for kids, AI for competitive advantage and the ethics of AI; a career and talent mixer connecting AI career seekers with top companies; and a full-day academic symposium bringing together the brightest minds in AI. The celebrations are rounded out by a ‘house’ party at a secret, soon-to-be-revealed location and the Amiiversary street party, marking 20 years of AI excellence in Alberta. Learn more about the program at www.ai-week.ca/program

“Over the past 20 years, Alberta has emerged as one of the world’s top destinations for AI research and application,” says Cam Linke, CEO of Amii. “With AI Week, we’re putting a global spotlight on the province and welcoming the world’s AI community to experience what many in the field have known for a long time: that Alberta is at the forefront of the AI revolution. AI Week isn’t just a celebration of 20 years of AI excellence – it’s a launching point for the next 20 years of advancement.”

AI Week has something for everyone – including sessions, networking events and socials for a range of ages and familiarity with AI. Additional keynotes will be delivered by Alona Fyshe, speaking about what brains and AI can tell us about one another, and Martha White, who will present on innovative applications of reinforcement learning. A special AI in Health keynote will highlight the work of Dornoosh Zonoobi and Jacob Jaremko of Medo.ai, which uses machine learning in concert with ultrasound technology to screen infants for hip dysplasia.

Informal networking and social events will help forge connections between members of the research, industry and innovation communities – as well as AI beginners and enthusiasts. Meanwhile, the Amiiversary street party, hosted on Rice Howard Way in Edmonton’s downtown core, will mark 20 years of AI excellence in Alberta. The party will be attended by the who’s-who of Edmonton AI, technology and innovation scenes.

AI Week will be attended by the world’s AI community, with over 500 applicants for travel bursaries from more than 35 different countries. The successful applicants, emerging researchers and industry professionals alike, will have the opportunity to learn alongside leaders in the field at the AI Week Academic Symposium, which is being organized by Amii’s Fellows from the University of Alberta, one of the world’s top academic institutions for AI research. The symposium will include talks and discussions among top experts in AI and machine learning as well as demos and lab showcases from the Amii community.

“I chose to set up in Canada in 2003 because, at the time, Alberta was one of the few places investing in building a community of AI researchers,” says Richard S. Sutton, Amii’s Chief Scientific Advisor, who is also a Professor at the University of Alberta and a Distinguished Research Scientist at DeepMind. “Nearly twenty years later, I am struck by how much we have achieved to advance the field of AI, not only locally but globally. AI Week is an opportunity to celebrate those achievements and showcase some of the brightest minds in AI.”

The event is being put on by Amii, one of Canada’s AI institutes in the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy and will feature event partners and community-led events from across Canada’s AI ecosystem. AI Week is made possible in part by our event partners and talent bursary sponsors: AltaML, Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation, ATB, Attabotics, BDC, CBRE, CIFAR, DeepMind, DrugBank, Explore Edmonton, NeuroSoph, RBC Royal Bank, Samdesk, TELUS and the University of Alberta.

About Amii

One of Canada’s three centres of AI excellence as part of the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy, Amii (the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute) is an Alberta-based non-profit institute that supports world-leading research in artificial intelligence and machine learning and translates scientific advancement into industry adoption. Amii grows AI capabilities through advancing leading-edge research, delivering exceptional educational offerings and providing business advice – all with the goal of building in-house AI capabilities. For more information, visit amii.ca.

Spencer Murray
Communications & Public Relations
t: 587.415.6100 ext. 109 | c: 780.991.7136
spencer.murray@amii.ca

Posted on

News.CGTN.com: Outlook for Peace and Development offers long-term solution for the Horn of Africa

Editor’s note: Azhar Azam works in a private organization as a market and business analyst and writes about geopolitical issues and regional conflicts. The article reflects the author’s opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN.

Claims by spokespersons of America’s military and the White House that the U.S. role in Africa has been limited to “advising and assisting” other militaries or that Washington hasn’t maintained any military presence on the ground in some countries have repeatedly been snubbed by many. Those claims even include U.S. self-declared actions in Somalia which killed scores of civilians. An acknowledgment of a military “footprint” by the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) last year in the Horn of Africa country established this truth.

Over the years, American Green Berets, Navy SEALs and other commandos have been dominating their African partner forces under little-known U.S. Code Section 127e. The authority funded classified programs and compelled African governments to essentially loan out their military units to American special operations teams which would use them as surrogates to hunt militants posing threats to American citizens and embassies.

The world first became aware of the U.S. military presence in Africa after the Islamic State killed four American soldiers in Tongo Tongo, Niger in 2017. According to a retired U.S. army officer, American troops have been killed or wounded in at least six African countries. The fallen Green Berets had allegedly gone rogue in the Sahel region, and when the families sought the truth the details were obscured by a highly-redacted U.S. report which cannot be declassified until 2043.

Washington has announced visa restrictions on Somali officials just for delaying the parliamentary elections. It is “visibly disconcerted” about growing rapprochement between Beijing and Mogadishu. Yet Somalia continues to strengthen historic relations with China rooted in mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and unity.

Eritrea is another country in the Horn of Africa facing U.S. sanctions over its involvement in the Tigray conflict in neighboring Ethiopia. The Biden administration last year targeted the defense and political institutions of the long-isolated country for entering the conflict on the side of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in November 2020.

In the face of the U.S. unilateral and despotic sanctions, China elevated its bilateral relationship with Eritrea to a strategic partnership during the January 2022 visit by Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Exchanging views on the situation in the Horn of Africa and slamming acts by non-regional forces to undermine the continent’s peace and stability, both sides in a joint statement opposed the hegemonic interference in Africa by major powers operating under the veil of democracy and human rights.

On March 29, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee overwhelmingly approved the Ethiopia Peace and Stabilization Act; again, in the name of promoting democracy and human rights. Introduced in November, the proposed bipartisan legislation creates a framework of sanctions to punish Addis Ababa. American “humanitarian imperialism” seeks to destabilize the Ethiopian government as well as “threatens to regress” its peace initiatives.

One major reason for the U.S. stomachache is Ethiopia’s central role in the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China is estimated to have undertaken 400 construction and manufacturing projects worth of $4 billion in Ethiopia in addition to financing and building much of the country’s air, road and rail networks.

Strong Chinese engagement has helped the Ethiopian economy grow by an average of around 10 percent through the decade before the pandemic struck, affirming China’s importance to the economic and infrastructure development of Ethiopia. As sanctions and conflicts risk peace and growth in the landlocked country, the BRI comes into play to complement the 50-year development aspirations of both Ethiopia and Africa. China’s support at multilateral fora is also helping Ethiopia thwart threats to sovereignty and territorial integrity.

As the U.S. continues to arbitrarily interfere in the regional and internal affairs of African countries, the appointment of Xue Bing, China’s Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa affairs, is regarded as an attractive and valued mediating effort. Also popular on the continent has been Beijing’s policy of non-interference, boosting China’s image as Africa’s true development partner.

The deployment of a permanent diplomat in the Horn of Africa discourages the intention to make Africa an arena for geopolitics and promises to help the region reach lasting peace through economic development initiatives such as connecting infrastructure and increasing trade between communities and countries.

China has supported several projects in the region such as the construction of railway lines from Nairobi to Mombasa and Addis Ababa and Djibouti City. Beijing is prepared to share its development miracles to help Africa achieve long-term social stability. These ambitions help embolden the poverty-stricken and conflict-laden region to settle differences and rally efforts to fight climate change, drought, famine and terrorism in order to increase trade and strengthen economic cooperation to realize the region’s huge development potential.

For too long, the Horn has been gripped with border disputes and ethnic and religious conflicts, and the U.S. has removed Ethiopia from a key trade pact and looks to use its influence to block international loans to Addis Ababa. To overcome the region’s security challenges and make headway for sustainable growth, the China-proposed Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa empowers regional nations to build consensus via a long-term solution based on three core issues: peace and security, development and governance.

Source: Dehai Eritrea Online

Posted on

Tour of inspection to development sites

The Governor of Anseba Region, Ambassador Abdella Musa conducted tour of inspection to Geleb sub-zone on 14 April with a view to observe the situation of social service provision institutions and the progress of development programs.

The objective of the tour of inspection that covered the administrative areas of Kuruh, Aibaba and Mihlab was to encourage water and soil conservation activities as well as to observe the situation of the social service provision institutions and discuss with concerned bodies on addressing the challenges the institutions are facing.

At a meeting held with residents of the administrative areas, the Governor called for conducting community-based development programs, renovation of roads that have been difficult for vehicles as well as for community initiative to construct micro-dams with a view to alleviate potable water shortage.

The residents also called for establishment of a high school in their area, construction of a dam with a view to alleviate potable water problem, as well as for machinery support in the renovation of the road linking Mihlab with Kuruh.

The tour of inspection was attended by the secretary of the PFDJ branch in the Anseba Region and Director General of Construction Development as well as area administrators and heads of agriculture offices.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

Posted on

Eritrea: Promoting Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture

Mr. Amanuel Negassi is an adviser to the Minister of Agriculture and Chairperson of the Technical Committee for Food and Nutrition Security which constitutes representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Marine Resource, Trade and Industry; and the Eritrean Standards Institution. He is also a senior nutrition expert. A short interview conducted with him on national strategies and achievements towards Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture follows:

Q: Let’s start with what is recommended for a balanced and healthy diet.

A: It is generally advised that people should eat a healthy and balanced diet by making most of their meal vegetables and fruits (like half of their plate); and one fourth whole grains (like whole wheat, taff, sorghum, maize, millet and barley). The other quarter is recommended to be protein power such as fish, poultry, beans, meat and nuts. The micronutrients including the vitamins are in all of them. In addition, the type of carbohydrates in the diet is more important than the amount of carbohydrates.

Q: What are the strategies of the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) towards ensuring food and nutrition security?

A: Ministry reports show that 785 different sized dams and ponds were constructed to promote agricultural development across the country during the past 31 years. These water holding structures have significantly increased the total irrigated area for the production of horticulture products by around fivefold. Subsequently, vegetable and fruit production increased by 5.7 times and 71 times respectively.

In addition, these structures gave birth to concrete strategies that could help the country towards ensuring food and nutrition security. The first one is the Minimum Integrated Household Agricultural Package (MIHAP). It is an initiative developed and implemented by the MOA since 2013 to ensure food and nutrition security at household level. Households selected for this package are those who have a small plot of land (a minimum of 0.25 hectares around water points). Each household is expected to possess an improved cross-breed dairy cow or sheep or goats; chicken, one frame (modern) hive; one top bar hive made by the farmers themselves, small vegetable and fruit farm, firewood trees etc.

The other strategy is the Small and Medium Commercial Farmers Strategy (SMCFS). It is also a viable strategy that encompasses two major components; namely technological support and creating enabling environment to commercial farmers so that they can contribute in speeding up the journey towards ensuring food and nutrition security.

Q: The MoA has recently been engaged in some nutrition related projects. Could you tell us about their progress?

A: Bearing in mind the significance of prevention of malnutrition and food insecurity in the country, a Steering Committee from concerned line Ministries (Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Marine Resource, Trade and Industry and the Eritrean Standards Institution), with its Technical Committee, was established as a National Food and Nutrition Security Forum in 2014. The committee mainly focuses on improving the population’s health and nutrition status.

Over the years, the Technical Committee for Food and Nutrition Security has undertaken numerous community-based training on food and nutrition. During the last two years major activities were undertaken at “Improving Nutrition in Eritrea: Agro-diversity Nourishing Communities”. This is a programme jointly implemented with FAO and the Steering Committee for food and Nutrition Security.

In 2021, capacity strengthening in Trials for Improved Practices (TIPs) was organized in Anseba and Maekel regions in communities at household level and it was well received. TIPs in families with children 0-24 months, pregnant, and lactating women are believed to improve nutrition through their feeding practices. This was very evident in enhancing the nutrition impact of MIHAP beneficiaries in Food and Nutrition Security in targeted communities through nutrition knowledge and skills, healthy complementary feeding , availability, and access to diversified nutrient-dense foods , good health and hygiene practices coupled with rural women`s empowerment. The project has enhanced the nutritional impact of the “Minimum Integrated Household Agricultural Package (MIHAP)” in beneficiary communities through nutrition knowledge and skills, healthy complementary feeding, availability and access to diversified nutrient-dense foods, good health and hygiene practices coupled with rural women’s empowerment and national stakeholder’s capacity strengthening.

Q: How is, then, the impact of MIHAP evaluated in the beneficiary households with regard to Nutrition?

A: The MIHAP program has a great potential for improved nutrition outcomes, through improved diet diversity. The program also has several pathways and components where nutrition would be improved. These are increased income, increased production, availability and access to diversified foods. The proposed program was used as an entry point to improved nutrition among household beneficiaries and communities. Thanks to the pilot project, we noticed that changes in the diet take place against an ever-changing landscape in food preferences, knowledge, attitudes, practices and skills, food availability and access among other factors.

Q: How is Eritrea progressing towards Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture?

A: Currently, even though not enough, we can see considerable supply of vegetables and fruits across the country all year round. MIHAP philosophy is also expected to contribute in ensuring milk and its products as well as honey production. In addition, proportion of pulses and oil crops in comparison with cereals is increasing. All in all, while we talk about production and productivity, we need to stress the need to make agriculture nutrition sensitive. Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture (NSA) is an approach that looks to strengthen the contribution of agriculture to nutrition and it focuses on the benefits of a variety of food and improving economic status.

Q: How do you evaluate public awareness towards nutrition sensitive agriculture?

A: It is improving from time to time. Generally, we aim to increase the awareness of farmers on production and management of crops, fruits, vegetables, dairy, poultry, beekeeping and compost. We are working to promote sustainable value added nutrition programs using locally available food and improve the impact of agriculture and food systems on nutrition and minimize unintended negative consequences. Hence, the ongoing campaign has sensitized and brought together stakeholders (Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Marine Resources, Trade and Industry, Education, Labour and Social Welfare, Information and the Eritrean Standards Institution, the National Union of Eritrean Women and UN Agencies.) In our recent projects, we have used Social Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) methods to improve awareness in feeding practices, like changes in knowledge, attitude, and practice. Subsequently, a number of activities have been conducted to create awareness and knowhow to improve food and feeding habits at community levels with different kinds of healthy recipes and food preparations for better health in Anseba and Maekel regions.

Q: If you have final words to say?

A: The activity to improve Food and Nutrition Security in targeted communities through nutrition sensitive agriculture interventions will continue. It will be supported by enhanced nutrition knowledge and skills, healthy complementary feeding, availability and access of diversified nutrient-dense food, good health and sanitation and hygiene practices coupled with rural women`s empowerment and capacity strengthening because many people are still not aware and do not benefit from the production and consumption of diverse nutrient dense-foods which are locally available. Finally, it is worth mentioning that the MoA is striving not only towards nutrition sensitive agriculture rather it is leaping to safe agriculture by promoting natural fertilizers (both in solid and liquid forms) and pesticides instead of the chemical ones.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea