African Laser Centre

Boosting Africa into the forefront of science and technology

The mission of the ALC is to enable African nations to collaborate with each other and to play a major role internationally in utilising light to advance science and technology, thereby contributing to the strengthening of their economies, their global competitiveness, education and welfare of their people. This co-operation will take place in the spirit of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and the African Union.

Why was the ALC established?

The African Laser Centre, a virtual centre of excellence focusing on laser research in Africa, was established in 2002 to provide a platform through which Africa can pool its resources to become globally competitive. The Centre is an open, non-exclusive partnership aimed at stimulating innovative research and technology development in the field of lasers and laser applications.

The ALC will optimise the use of resources by coordinating research activities to avoid duplication, ensuring that the critical mass for sustainable progress is maintained, or developed where necessary.

• Dr Phil Mjwara (Chairperson)
    - CSIR, Pretoria, South Africa
• Professor Ahmadou Wague (Vice-Chair)
     - University of Cheikh Ante’Diop, Dakar, Senegal
• Professor Hubertus von Bergman
     – Laser Research Institute, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
• Professor Aboubaker Beye
     - University of Cheikh Ante’Diop, Dakar, Senegal
• Professor Zohra Ben Lakhdar
     – University of Tunis El Mar, Tunis, Tunisia
• Dr EL-Hachemi Amara
     – Advanced Technologies Development Centre (CDTA), Algiers, Algeria
• Professor Paul Buah-Bassuah
     – Laser and Fibre Optic Centre, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
• Professor Sekazi Mtingwa
     – Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA , U.S.A

	Name of Institution	Contact person	Country
1	National Laser Centre, CSIR	Dr P Mjwara	South Africa
2	Department of Physics, University of Zimbabwe	Dr M Mathuthu	Zimbabwe
3	Department of Physics, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University	Prof A W R Leitch	South Africa
4	Ecole Supérieure des Communications de Tunis, Tunisia	Prof M Zghal	Tunisia
5	Department of Physics, University of Kwazulu-Natal	Dr V W Couling	South Africa
6	Department of Physics, University of Zambia	Dr K Chinyama	Zambia
7	National University of Lesotho	Mr N I Manyala	Lesotho
8	Centre for Energy Research & Development, OAU Obafemi Awolowo University	Mr A Fasasi	Nigeria
9	Tunis el Manar University, Tunis, Tunisia	Prof Z Ben Lakhdar	Tunisia
10	CEPAMOQ, University of Douala	Prof K M Njock	Cameroon
11	Dept of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I	Prof J-M Ndjaka	Cameroon
12	iThemba Labs	Dr M Maaza	South Africa
13	Advanced Technologies Development Centre (CDTA)	Dr E-H Amara	Algeria
14	Groupe de Physique des Solides et Sceince des Materioux, University of Cheikh Ante Diop	Prof A C Beye	Senegal
15	Laboratoire Atomes Lasers, Dept de Physique, University of Cheikh Ante Diop	Prof A Wague	Senegal
16	Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology	Dr P N Kioni	Kenya
17	School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand	Prof J D Comins	South Africa
18	Department of Physics, University of Stellenbsoch	Prof H M von Bergmann	South Africa
19	Laser and Fibre Optics Centre, University of Cape Coast	Prof P Buah-Bassuah	Ghana