About 100 researchers from East Africa are due to meet in Kenya from Monday to discuss studies on human fossils, collection management and cultural heritage in the regional museums, organizers said on Friday.

A statement from the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) said the June 18-20 East Africa Association for Palaeoanthropology and Paleontology Conference will be a platform for the researchers to discuss research in archaeology and geology.

"Collections management in East African museums, policies and fieldwork ethics will also be emphasized," the statement said.

The conference whose theme is Prehistory in Eastern Africa: current research and collection management of fossils and cultural heritage in East African museums, will bring participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Eritrea.

"These countries have rich and diverse palaeontological sites and fossil collections and have potential to develop further their research expertise and capacity, if only scientists can come together in the spirit of cooperation and collaboration in their specialized area of research," it said.

According to NMK's principal paleontologist Emma Mbua, the conference is also geared towards shedding light on what the association is and its role in the scientific research in the East Africa region.

East Africa has rich and diverse fossil collections and among these collections, are those that have played a very crucial role in research in the region.

Some of these include Lucy, a fossil which was found in Ethiopia, and the famous Turkana boy which was excavated around Lake Turkana in Kenya.

"With this in mind the researchers are keen to, first, discuss and realize internal collaboration that could assist in capacity building within museums and related institutions in the region," the statement said.

It noted that the association is determined to set up an endowment fund that will facilitate research and enable researchers within the region to carry out their field and laboratory work efficiently.

Source: Xinhua