01.08.2018 | ZMT alumni from East Africa organised the second Alumni Conference of ZMT and DAAD held in Bagamoyo (Tanzania) from July 24 to 29, 2018. The German Ambassador to Tanzania, Dr. Detlef Wächter, attended the conference as a guest of honour and gave a talk on the importance of communication and collaboration. The aim of the conference on "Sustainability and Regional Linkages in the East African Marine Ecoregion" was to intensify cooperation in the region and to identify topics for further cooperation. Around 15 alumni from Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania and Zanzibar participated in the event. Many graduated many years ago from the ZMT and the ISATEC Master programme. ZMT was represented by Dr. Andreas Kunzmann.

In addition to ZMT alumni, experts from GIZ (Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), WWF, FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations), the German Embassy and the regional DAAD office were invited. A representative from Indian Ocean Trepang (IOT) in Madagascar also participated. The company specialises in the sustainable production of sea cucumbers with its own hatchery and involves the local population in the production process.

The alumni conference was organised on the Tanzanian side by ZMT Ambassador Dr. Robert Katikiro, former ISATEC graduate and doctoral student of the ZMT, and followed the alumni workshop of the East Africa region in Tanzania in September 2016.

This year's meeting was organised by the alumni and supported by the regional DAAD office. ZMT supported the event by covering travel expenses. The meeting followed the tradition of regional ZMT alumni conferences in the tropical region. In the past two years, events have been held in Stone Town (Zanzibar), in Santa Marta (Colombia) in cooperation with the Universidad del Magdalena and in Bandung (Indonesia) in cooperation with the Padjadjaran University.

Programme ZMT Alumni Meeting in Tanzania