ATPS National Chapters Regional Steering Committee (ATPS-NCRSC)

Following the outcomes of the regional SWOT analyses carried out in June 2007 and the national chapters SWOT analyses carried out in November 2007, the ATPS Secretariat liaised with the national chapter coordinators to establish a national coordinators’ regional steering committee (ATPS-NCRSC). The committee members were nominated by the national chapter coordinators to represent the national chapters in the different regions of the continent: Southern, Eastern, Western, and Francophone. A retired national chapter coordinator, Dr. George Essegbey was also nominated to sit on the committee as an Ex Officio member – to provide an independent expert advice in cases of disagreement between members of the committee. The Executive Director, the Director of Research, Training & Communications, and the Finance and Administration Manager of the ATPS also sit on the committee to provide Secretariat perspectives to the motions raised in the committee. The ATPS-NCRSC comprises elected representatives of the regions covered by the ATPS in sub-Saharan Africa including the Western, Eastern, Southern, and Francophone regions.

The committee serves as a liaison between the National Chapters and the Secretariat with the primary goal of proactively engaging the Secretariat in developing, monitoring and coordinating the STI capacity building activities of the ATPS chapters in each region. Each committee member represents a constituency of ATPS national chapters in his/her region. Members of the ATPS-NCRSC expect to meet with the ATPS Board and the ATPS Secretariat annually during the ATPS annual conferences and workshops to participate in the review of the activities of the ATPS at the regional and sub-regional levels

The inaugural meeting of the national coordinators regional steering committee was held at the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge in Arusha, Tanzania, 13 March 2008. The meeting brainstormed on a the current status of national chapters in each region; the IDRC evaluation exercise, and measures to revitalize the weak chapters in the regions and increase the role of the ATPS in STI capacity building in the continent. One outcome of meeting was a meeting of the steering committee members with the 14th ATPS Board on 19 July 2008 to review ATPS research programs concluding in 2008 and plan the implementation programs for the ATPS Phase VI Strategic Plan, 2008 – 2011, and also present national chapter concerns to the ATPS Board. The 2nd and 3rd meetings of the ATPS Regional Council was held on 01 – 02 April 2009 in Nairobi Kenya, and 09-10 July 2010 in Accra Ghana, respectively.  Members of this committee are now playing key roles in the Coordination of ATPS regional programs.

Functions of the regional council include:

• Liaising with the Secretariat and the National Chapters in the coordination of the ATPS activities in the respective regions.
• Advising the ATPS management on issues pertaining to National chapters;
• Representing the National chapters in regional and international activities;
• Promoting  discipline amongst National chapter coordinators;
• Mediating in the settlement of disputes within and between National Chapters;
• Supporting resource mobilization in the respective National chapters;
• Promoting regional cooperation and  integration in the Network;

NCRSC Members:

Dr. Arsène Kouadio