Network of African Science Academies

Network of African Science Academies
Name	Network of African Science Academies
Formation	2001
Type	Non-profit
Headquarters	Accra, Ghana
Region served	Africa
Membership	National science academies
Leader title	Chair

Network of African Science Academies

The Network of African Science Academies is a federation of national science academies formed to strengthen scientific advice across the African continent. It engages with international bodies, regional organizations, and national institutions to address public policy issues related to health, environment, and technology. The Network interacts with bodies such as United Nations, African Union, World Health Organization, International Science Council, and World Bank.

History and Formation

The initiative was established following discussions involving leaders from the Royal Society, the United States National Academy of Sciences, the African Academy of Sciences, and national academies such as the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Kenya National Academy of Sciences, with early meetings held in Accra and Nairobi. Influential figures from the Royal Society and the Pontifical Academy of Sciences joined policymakers from the African Union and development agencies including the Department for International Development (United Kingdom) and the United States Agency for International Development to frame the Network’s constitution. Founding documents referenced consultations with representatives from the International Development Research Centre, the Wellcome Trust, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Early projects drew on expertise from the InterAcademy Partnership, the Third World Academy of Sciences, and national bodies such as the South African Academy of Science and the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology.

Mission and Objectives

The Network’s mission aligns with goals championed by the United Nations Development Programme and the Sustainable Development Goals to provide evidence to leaders in the African Union, national parliaments such as the Parliament of Ghana and the National Assembly of Nigeria, and regional economic communities like the Economic Community of West African States. Objectives include advising ministries such as the Ministry of Health (Ghana), supporting programs inspired by the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization, and promoting research agendas compatible with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Membership and Structure

Membership comprises national academies including the Sudan National Academy of Sciences, the Royal Society of South Africa, the Uganda National Academy of Sciences, the Mozambique Academy of Sciences, and the Tanzania Academy of Sciences. Governance features a rotating chair drawn from member academies and an executive committee modeled on structures used by the National Academy of Sciences (United States) and the Academia Mexicana de Ciencias. Secretariat functions have been hosted by organizations such as the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and supported by partnerships with the African Academy of Sciences and the InterAcademy Partnership. Annual general meetings attract delegations from entities like the European Commission, the African Union Commission, and funding partners such as the Mastercard Foundation and the Ford Foundation.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs address public health crises in cooperation with the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, agricultural resilience linked to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, and climate adaptation reflecting Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change guidance. Initiatives have included advice on vaccine policy involving the Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, antimicrobial resistance consultations with the Wellcome Trust, and capacity building supported by the European Union and the National Institutes of Health. Training and fellowship schemes have mirrored frameworks used by the African Union Development Agency and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The Network collaborates with the International Science Council, the InterAcademy Partnership, the African Academy of Sciences, regional bodies like the Economic Community of West African States, multilateral agencies including the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme, and philanthropic organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust. It liaises with research institutions like the University of Cape Town, Makerere University, Cairo University, and Stellenbosch University and connects with policy platforms including the African Ministerial Council on Science and Technology and the New Partnership for Africa's Development.

Impact and Influence

The Network has produced policy statements and consensus reports informing ministries in countries such as South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana, and contributed to regional strategies adopted by the African Union and the African Development Bank. Its advice has been cited by international reviews from the World Health Organization, development agencies including the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and research funders like the Wellcome Trust. The Network’s role in convening experts has supported responses to outbreaks involving partners such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and informed agricultural programs run by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

Challenges and Future Directions

Challenges include securing sustainable funding from sources such as the African Development Bank, expanding representation among academies from francophone and lusophone countries including Mozambique and Côte d'Ivoire, and strengthening links with continental policymaking bodies like the African Union Commission. Future directions emphasize deeper collaboration with the InterAcademy Partnership, enhanced capacity building with universities such as University of Nairobi and University of Ibadan, and contribution to continental priorities framed by the African Continental Free Trade Area and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Category:Scientific organisations based in Africa