Our Vision

The world’s population is predicted to grow from 8 billion to almost 10 billion in the next 30 years.  More than half of global population growth by 2050 is predicted to happen in Africa. Africa is a diverse continent with a wide range of economic, environmental, societal and political challenges. These often include: (1) limited access to useful energy resources; (2) adverse effects on environment due climate change; (3) limited access to modern healthcare; (4) political instability and on-going efforts toward societal and economic decolonisation.  As a result there is an urgent need for capacity building, technological innovation and growth as a whole.

Synchrotron light sources underpin research, development and innovation in a wide range of disciplines including materials science, biology, drug design, catalysis, engineering and heritage science.  As of today, there are more than 55 synchrotron light source facilities, operating in 26 countries globally.  Africa however remains the only habitable continent that is not yet host to a synchrotron light source facility. Without a synchrotron light source, Africa will likely continue to trail behind on key technological innovations and struggle to meet the Agenda 2063 blueprint.

Through partnership with established synchrotron facilities, various leading African research institutions, the African Light Source (AfLS) foundation, and the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), this project will seek to develop a community of skilled synchrotron technicians and users who can ultimately participate in a future draft (beyond the lifetime of this project) of a technical design report (TDR) for the construction of the first African Light Source, providing key infrastructure for multiple research disciplines on the continent. This is timely as a fund raising initiative for an African Light Source has recently begun.  Emphasis here is placed on (1) expanding existing and developing new local science communities with expertise in the development of materials for renewable energy generation & energy storage, and (2) synchrotron accelerator science including the design, construction, operation and maintenance (DCOM) of a synchrotron light source.