Minister of Higher Education Jacques Fame Ndongo, on April 29 presented Professor Abdon Atangana with a congratulatory letter from President Paul Biya for his distinguished election to the esteemed World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). In the letter, dated March 25, Biya noted that the numerous honorary distinctions awarded to Atangana in the field of industrial and applied mathematics underscore the recognition of his "immense qualities" by his peers.

This international recognition highlights and further elevates Atangana's exceptional scientific career. For President Biya, this "magnificent journey is a source of pride for the youth, the Cameroonian education system, and the entire nation."

It's worth noting that Atangana, who completed part of his education in Cameroon, was the world's most cited mathematician in 2017 based on his scientific contributions. In 2019, Stanford University ranked him as the second-best mathematician globally. In both 2019 and 2020, the native of Elig-Mfomo in the Lékié region appeared on Clarivate Web of Science's global list of top scientists. And this list of accolades is far from exhaustive. In 2022, at the age of 37, he became the inaugural recipient of the UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize for the promotion of young scientists in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Atangana is the first mathematician to receive the TWAS Mohammad A. Hamdan Prize, awarded by the World Academy of Sciences, which recognizes outstanding mathematical work by a scientist working and residing in Africa or the Arab region.

The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), which the Cameroonian scholar has recently joined, is an autonomous international organization founded in Trieste, Italy, in 1983 by a group of prominent scientists led by Pakistani Nobel laureate Abdus Salam. It was officially launched in 1985 by the then-Secretary-General of the United Nations.

TWAS membership comprises Fellows and Associate Fellows, chosen from the most distinguished scientists worldwide. Fellows are elected from citizens of the Global South; Associate Fellows are elected from citizens of the Global North who were born in the South or have made significant contributions to the advancement of science in the South. TWAS currently has 584 members.

Thierry Christophe Yamb