The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) is an Africa-wide scientific organisation, with a view to honouring internationally renowned African scientists and also to encourage the development of the research and technology base throughout Africa. The membership has since then been extended to scientists from other continents.
The AAS was founded in 1985 in Trieste, Italy with 33 members as the founding fellows. The membership currently stands at 233, covering 36 African countries and also includes 8 Foreign Fellows from Denmark, India, USA and Italy.
It has a tripartite mandate of pursuing excellence by recognising scholars and achievers; providing advisory and think tank functions for shaping the continent’s strategies and policies; and implementing key science, technology and innovation programmes.
The AAS utilises its membership pool which consists of a community of scientists to engage with governments and policy makers on the continent. The membership comprises individuals who have reached the highest level of excellence in their field of expertise and have made contributions to the advancement of the field on the continent.
To date AAS has recognised 330 AAS Fellows and Associate and Honorary Fellows who are proven science, technology and innovation leaders, policy advisors and thinkers most of whom live and work throughout the continent.
Relevant specialist committees assess nominees and those that are recommended are subsequently voted in by AAS Fellows and finally approved by the Governing Council.
The AAS is the only continental academy in Africa, enjoying the support and recognition of NEPAD and the African Union as well as several governments and major international partners. These bodies also recognise the think-tank functions of the academy and its increasing role in setting the research agenda for the future development of the continent.
The AAS is implementing programmes in partnership with pan African and international organisations. In 2015, the AAS launched the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa, a platform created in collaboration with the New Partnership for Africa’s (NEPAD) Agency. AESA is an agenda setting and funding platform to support the development of Africa’s research leadership and promote scientific excellence and innovation to overcome some of Africa’s developmental challenges.
The current Strategic Plan of the AAS (2013-2018) identifies six STI areas of focus, namely
Mandate
From its very beginning, and especially as a result of the wide-ranging consultations that led to the revision of its constitution in 1996, AAS has a tripartite mandate of:
Programs
The Academy has carefully reviewed the areas in which it has potential impact against the background of Africa’s development challenges. AAS has identified topical and emerging areas to work to build capacity and enhance competence of African scientists to address these challenges. The Academy has also reviewed the various development agenda of the African Union and the Sub-Regional Offices, including the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the Science and Technology Consolidated Plan of Action, the comprehensive agricultural action plans and the environmental action plans. Out of these reviews and through extensive consultations with its constituencies, the Academy has identified the following six(6) critical areas where programmes and activities will be developed and implemented:
