Afrique One-African Science Partnership for Intervention Research Excellence (ASPIRE) is the second phase of the Afrique One initiative. This phase is led by nine African institutions (CSRS, NIMR, IHI, NMIMR, SUA, IRED, NM-AIST, Beca/ILRI, EISMV), and includes an additional five African partners (TAWIRI, UDSM, MAKUN, KCRI/KCMC, MUHAS) and two northern partner’s institutions (University of Glasgow, Swiss TPH).
The focus of Afrique One–ASPIRE (2016-2021) is on endemic zoonotic diseases (diseases that are transmissible between animals and humans) through capacity building. Its aspiration is to harness the unique societal drivers of Africa to build a world-leading Pan-African research capacity in One Health science.
Between 2009 and 2016, Afrique One was supported by the Wellcome Trust’s Africa Institution Initiative. Afrique One has recognized the need for a cultural change in science and has – among other things – actively contributed to the introduction of postdoc positions in African Universities.
Today the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA) cofounded by the WT, AAS, UKaid, offers the unique opportunity to shift the science centre of gravity to Africa. Afrique One-ASPIRE currently addresses issues in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in line with the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2024) in the area of food security and disease prevention. The transformed consortium is taking the leadership of global One Health research. The One Health approach produced added value in terms of better health and well-being for humans and animals, financial savings and improved environmental services due to the closer cooperation of human and animal health together with other disciplines and sectors.
By fostering research partnerships, Afrique One-ASPIRE wants to get the balance right and bridge the gaps between different capacities, languages, disciplines, sectors and geographical regions (East and West Africa). Science excellence and training are built along the disease control-elimination pathway. The leadership will be developed with a cohort effect on more than 40 fellows and the supervision and mentorship contribution from European partner institutions.
The programme will significantly expand research capacity in sub-Saharan Africa through a structured programme of scientific training across five Thematic Training Programmes (TTPs):
Eliminating canine rabies Prevention and control of brucellosis Control of mycobacterial infections focusing on zoonotic tuberculosis and Buruli ulcer in humans and livestock Food-borne diseases and nutritional illnesses Syndromic surveillance-response and integrated One-health systems
The Afrique One–ASPIRE programme will equip African scientists with expertise in planning, monitoring and evaluating interventions of One Health research with the aim of tackling zoonoses. Through this programme, we aim to improve human and animal health and well-being, as well as food security.
