Dr Charles Takalana is Deputy Director of the IAU Office of Astronomy for Development. He has a PhD in Astronomy and Astrophysics from Wits and previously worked at CorpActive and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory. He was the founding Head of Secretariat of the African Astronomical Society and Vice Chair of the organising committee for the 2024 IAU General Assembly in Cape Town. He is an Extraordinary Lecturer at Stellenbosch University and an Advisor to AfAS.