The African Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (AFAERE) condoles the saddened loss of African Economist Professor Rashid Hassan with family, friends, and professional colleagues. Although Rashid’s life ended suddenly, his legacy and scientific contributions to environmental economics and natural resources management will remain. We celebrate his life and continue to recognize the role he dutifully played in training and building the capacity of African researchers in resource economics as well as in increasing recognition of African research institutions globally. In his teaching, writing, and engagement with policy, Rashid helped reshape the environmental policy field in the continent, addressing the growing environmental and natural resources sustainability concerns in Africa and globally.

Rashid Hassan was a Professor Emeritus with the Department of Agriculture Economics, Extension and Rural Development, University of Pretoria. He graduated from Iowa State University with a doctorate in Economics and worked at the University of Pretoria from 1997 to 2016. He was the founding director of the Centre of Environmental Economics and Policy in Africa (CEEPA) at the University of Pretoria. Prior to joining UP, he was a research fellow with the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa (1995-1997) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) in East Africa (1989-1995). He has advised numerous governments and international agencies on climate change impact and adaptation strategies. He has written extensively on this and the sustainable management of natural ecosystems, particularly the economics and policy for governing the commons. In 2020, the Government of Sudan appointed him Secretary-General for the Higher Council for the Environment and Natural Resources (HCENR). Rashid received various awards and prizes, and in 2019, he was appointed to the US National Academy of Sciences – one of the highest honors in science – in recognition of distinguished achievements in original research.