By Hannah King

Ethiopia has become the most recent African nation to announce the arrival of its very own science academy, located in the capital Addis Ababa and backed by the UK’s Royal Society. But there are fears that centres elsewhere have so far failed to deliver.

The past few years have seen the arrival of a number of science centres across the African continent as political interest in science has grown. Demisse Habte, former World Bank health specialist and president of Ethiopia’s new academy said: “There is a much better appreciation in the government for the role science can play in development.” Other academies set up recently include one in Zambia in 2005, Mauritius in 2007 and Mozambique in 2009, with more planned. The next opening is expected to be in Namibia.

But few of Africa’s new academies have so far achieved what they set out to. Mohamed Hassan, executive director of the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) said: “It’s been a very slow process, and a little bit disappointing.” He explained that in Tanzania for example, the academy has been in existence for four to five years and has still not matured. “It has only about 25 members, most of whom are old men. They are not moving.”

According to Hassan, there are two main problems with Africa’s emerging academies. The first is that they lack leadership, a dedicated figurehead to drive them forward, and the second is a failure to connect with and inspire the next generation of young scientists.

As for the centre in Addis Ababa, it has not yet been approved by parliament and as such its future funding structure remains uncertain.