Strengthening diversity and cooperation through international collaborations: A focus on Africa, South America, and the Caribbean

Abstract

Africa is the second largest continent in terms of size and population.1,2 With approximately 1.256 billion people (about 15% of the world’s population) and a land area of 30.3 million square kilometers (including adjacent islands), it occupies about 20.4% of the earth’s total land area.1 A significant fraction of the people in the Caribbean* and South America are of African descent, and there are many historical and cultural links among the people of these regions.3 South America has 422.5 million people, and the Caribbean has about 39.12 million people;1 hence, the total population of all three areas represents about 20% of the world’s population.1,2 Similarities in climate also mean that common approaches can be explored for establishing sustainable building materials, and the range of development indices offer unique opportunities for collaborations in research and education that can facilitate human development.4