African Academy of Sciences

The Academy was founded in 1983 following a proposal presented by entomologist Thomas Odhiambo and Mohamed H.A. Hassan (The World Academy of Sciences president at the time) at the inaugural meeting of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), in Trieste, Italy.

Odhiambo led a taskforce on the creation of The Academy, which presented its recommendations at a meeting convened on 10 December 1985. Participants at the meeting unanimously adopted the recommendations, turned the gathering into a General Assembly, and drafted and adopted the Academy's founding constitution, which has since been updated. The 34 participants who attended the General Assembly also became the founding fellows of the Academy.[3]

The Academy also developed and implemented four strategies between 1989 and 2005 that focused on forestry research, biotechnology, soil and water management, improved food production and policy and advocacy. In 1988 the AAS launched the journal Discovery and Innovation, which focused on all areas of science and ran until 2012.

At first the Academy was largely unfunded and run by volunteers. Between 1993 and 1996 Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Rockefeller Foundation helped the organization establish efficient institutional and financial systems.[4] In May 2005 the Kenyan government gave official recognition to the Academy and extended to it diplomatic privileges given to international non governmental organisations headquartered in Kenya. It also authorized construction of its headquarters on a 2 hectares (4.9 acres) site that it owns in the Karen area of Nairobi. A US$5 million endowment from the Nigerian government was used to cover the cost of construction.[5]

On 28 February 2011 Ahmadou Lamine Ndiaye of Senegal was appointed President of the AAS for a three-year term replacing Mohamed Hassan of Sudan. Ndiaye said he wanted to rejuvenate the AAS, and felt that conditions were favorable. He aimed to open up centers of excellence on the continent where French and English speakers could work on joint research programs.[6]

Felix Dapare Dakora is currently serves as President of the African Academy of Sciences for the 2017–2023 terms.[7][8]

The AAS is governed by:

• A general assembly that consists of AAS fellows and is the highest authority of the academy, which determines its general policy and has an oversight of the governing council.[9]
• A governing council consisting of officers elected by the general assembly. The governing council meets twice a year to create and review the Academy's programmes.[9]

The African Academy of Sciences fellows (FAAS) are Africans who may live in or outside the continent and working on science in Africa are elected by previously elected AAS fellows based on achievements that include their publication record, innovations, leadership roles and contribution to policy. Fellows form a community of scientists formed to engage with governments and policy makers to enable wise investment in the future of the continent.

As of November 2022, the AAS has 547 fellows. From which 34 who are founding fellows who were all elected during AAS inception,[3] 17 honorary fellows,[12] 51 associate fellows (i.e., non founding and honorary fellows from outside the continent),[13] and 445 Fellows with 19.3% female fellows.[14]

• African Academy of Sciences, YouTube channel