Kenya's education ministry and Chinese Academy of Sciences singed a memorandum of understanding in Nairobi, Kenya, Dec. 13, 2018.(Xinhua/Li Yan)

NAIROBI, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's education ministry and China's top scientific think-tank on Thursday in Nairobi signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote cooperation in the areas of science, research and innovation.

Under the MOU, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Kenya and Chinese Academy of Sciences will support a variety of science, technology, innovation and higher education cooperative activities between China and Africa in the areas of ecosystem and environment protection, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, agriculture, health, the development and demonstration of adaptable technologies via the Sino-Africa Joint Research Center (SAJOREC).

Amina Mohamed, cabinet secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Kenya, said at the signing ceremony that Kenya hopes to broaden Sino-Kenya cooperation to other institutions of higher learning by facilitating international twinning in order to develop an ecosystem necessary to foster cutting-edge research and innovation that will go to full commercialization.

Mohamed said that both countries will collaboratively put in place adequate mechanisms to ensure the full realization of the agreement, adding that Kenya's collaboration with China constitutes a core strand in the delivery of national development priorities.

She revealed that the exchange of scholars between the two countries will position Kenyan and Chinese institutions as global centers of innovation and entrepreneurship which will in turn create capacity to drive attainment of the continental education strategy for Africa and Kenya's Big Four agenda.

Bai Chunli, president of Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that the institution attaches great importance to scientific cooperation with the international community, and highly values its relationship with Kenya and Africa.

Bai noted that over the past five years, SAJOREC has served as an outreach of the academy in Africa to develop substantial partnerships and projects with around 20 academic institutions in Kenya and other African countries.

"Through this channel, we have provided 122 scholarships to qualified African students to pursue post graduate courses in China," he added.

He said that over the next three years, SAJOREC will provide 150 new scholarships to students from Africa.

Bai said that future projects to be developed under the framework of SAJOREC will include the joint development of research and development centers for modern agriculture and traditional medicines, and a ground-based satellite data receiving station.

SAJOREC is a partnership between Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It focuses on research in sustainable natural resource conservation, biomedicines for universal health and modern agricultural techniques.