Impact of astronomy on our society: examples from Africa

Africa has amazing potential due to natural and human resources for scientific research in astronomy and space science. The status of astronomy in Africa changed significantly over the past years and it became now an emerging field across the continent. However, we are still frequently receiving questions such as: why is astronomy important for Africa?, why shall African countries invest in astronomy? or isn't astronomy too expensive for Africa? This talk will reflect on the impact of astronomy on our society, go through different examples from Africa, and highlight that investing in astronomy and science is not a question of luxury, but a fundamental need for sustainable development and for bringing more equality in the world