African Chemical Societies established Federation of African Societies of Chemistry
Reported by Dr. Temechegn Engida, President of FASC
The Federation of African Societies of Chemistry (FASC) was founded on 23 rd February
2006 at a meeting held in the premises of the UN Economic Commission for Africa at the
Africa Hall. The founding meeting was held just a day before the 22nd Annual Congress
of the Chemical Society of Ethiopia (CSE). CSE is credited for initiating the idea of the
Federation and also for organizing the founding meeting in Ethiopia.
Opening the founding meeting, Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, Seyoum Mesfin, said that
he is deeply encouraged by the commitment of African chemists in establishing FASC
and that Ethiopia fully recognizes the role of professional associations and their efforts to
utilize their respective knowledge and skills for the development of national economy.
In his keynote speech, Acting Director of UNESCO-International Institute for Capacity
Building in Africa (IICBA), Dr. Joseph Ngu, said that even though many chemists are
graduating from various African universities and join the world of work each year,
African countries have not benefited enough like the rest of the world from the inherent
potential of chemistry. He also said that the establishment of FASC would facilitate
UNESCO’s efforts to strengthen science, education and scientific research in the
continent.
The Federation was established by representatives of the chemical societies of Egypt,
Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, and the African Association of Pure and
Applied Chemistry (AAPAC) based in Tanzania. IUPAC, RSC and many professional
associations based in Ethiopia attended the founding meeting.
The representatives of the founding African chemical societies as well as IUPAC and
RSC made speech on the occasion as well as on the experiences of their respective
societies. The founding members then discussed on the Constitution of FASC and its five
years Strategic Plan presented at the meeting by Dr. Temechegn Engida, Vice-President
of the CSE and Chairman of the Organizing Committee. After a lengthy discussion on the
various components of the documents, the General Assembly of FASC unanimously
established the Federation and mandated the Chemical Society of Ethiopia to nominate
and notify to the General Assembly the names of the first President, Vice-President and
Treasurer of FASC at the shortest time possible. Accordingly, CSE nominated and the
General Assembly approved the following founding FASC officials:
1. Dr. Temechegn Engida, from Ethiopia, President
2. Prof. M.M. Khater, from Egypt, Vice-President
3. Dr. Yonas Chebude, from Ethiopia, Treasurer
The General Assembly of FASC then decided that the President should assign a capable
Secretary that can work with him in harmony towards the fulfillment of the objectives of
FASC. It is also decided that the Office of FASC be established in Ethiopia in accordance
with the Ethiopian laws.