ASRIC Congress

The Congress is the body that directs the overall policies of ASRIC including formulation and review of Work Programmes, approves Action Plans, Funding and Resource Mobilization Strategies in accordance with the AU Policies. It develops its internal guidelines and rules of procedures in line with the relevant AU legal instruments; elect the Bureau and sets-up its sub-committees, among others.

It is the apex body of ASRIC as stipulated in Article 6-1 of the Statute and it is responsible to the Specialized Technical Committee on Education Science and Technology (STC-EST).

Congress Rule of Procedure

The Congress shall meets once every year in ordinary session.

An extra-ordinary Congress can be called by the Bureau if there are matters of urgent attention;

A quorum for the Congress can be formed if there are more than 15 voting Members; and

In the event consensus is not reached and voting is required, this can be obtained by simple majority.

Composition of the Congress

  •   One (1) National Research Councils or other similar Institutions nominated by Member States (voting members);
  •   Regional Economic Communities;
  •   African STI Institutions - African STI institutions are the continental STI institutions of African origin like AAS, AAU, FARA, ATPS, ACTS among others;
  •   Financial institutions of the African Union established under Article 19 of the Constitutive Act;
  •   Laureates of the African Union Kwame Nkrumah Scientific awards of the three years prior to the year of election;
  •   Two representatives of the African Diaspora nominated by the Chairperson of the Commission in consultation with ECOSOC;
  •   Two representatives of the African STI Civil society nominated by the Chairperson of the Commission;
  •   African Representatives of industry, two from each region nominated by the Chairperson of the Commission in consultation with the Chairperson of the Congress; and
  •   The Executive Director of the ASRIC.