The directors of the programmes financed by the Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training and Science (DELTAS) Africa initiative gathered at a 2-days meeting. This initiative is a 5-years (2015-2020) programme being implemented by the African Academy of Science’ Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science (AESA) with the support of the Wellcome Trust and the UK Department for International Development.

The meeting aimed to define a joint strategy of the 11 consortia funded by the DELTAS Africa initiative. It took place in Johannesburg, South Africa from the 12^th to 13^th December 2017 and was chaired by the director of Afrique One-ASPIRE, Prof Bassirou Bonfoh.

Issues related to grant conditions, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the activities and funding of African health research were debated during the meeting. Additionally, the DELTAS Africa programme directors emphasized the challenges and the perspectives of each programme.

As main decision emerging of the meeting, the DELTAS Africa programme directors decided on the creation of a supra consortium named ‘African Research Coalition for Health’ (ARCH). It brings together all the 11 consortia supported by the DELTAS Africa initiative to take the leadership of the African Science Agenda.