On Thursday, July 23, 2026, we met with the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Professor. Bouréma Kansaye, to present the progress of our work on mosquito engineering. This meeting is part of our stakeholder engagement process: research like ours cannot move forward without constant dialogue with the institutions that share this responsibility with us.
Our presentation:
Dr. Amadou Guindo presented both our vision and the concrete progress of our work. He began by outlining our fundamental ambition: to make Mali a center of excellence in genetic engineering for the benefit of African youth. This ambition, he explained, relies on building a critical mass of young Malian researchers capable of mastering the most advanced technologies in the field.
Two young Malian researchers are currently pursuing specialized training in London, where they are mastering these cutting-edge technologies before returning to put their skills to work for their country. He also detailed the progress made on three complementary fronts: strengthening our team’s capabilities, providing ongoing training for our researchers, and advancing the scientific work itself. Finally, he highlighted the promising prospects this discipline offers for biomedical research and for the fight against mosquito-borne diseases, a major public health priority for our country.
The Minister praised the quality of this work and extended his congratulations to our two researchers in training, warmly encouraging them to return and contribute to Mali’s scientific reputation.
Discussions and engagements:
The Minister asked specific and rigorous questions on three points: the protection of the public in accordance with the law and applicable regulations; the certification of our laboratory as a prerequisite for any scientific credibility; and strict adherence to biosafety and biosecurity rules; he also emphasized the need for vigilance regarding intellectual property.
We responded directly: our work strictly adheres to scientific standards and these biosafety and biosecurity requirements, and no mosquito releases are planned at this stage—this clarity is precisely what builds trust with our stakeholders.
This meeting is just one step: we will continue to engage in dialogue with institutions and expand our stakeholder base, because responsible research is built step by step through this ongoing dialogue.
