© IIASA
The Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Member Organization (SSARMO) includes 18 African countries* who are participating in the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in Sub-Saharan Africa – a multi-partner, multi-institutional initiative established in 2015 aimed at strengthening institutional capacities of Science Granting Councils in the region.
The regional membership application was made in response to a statement of the 98th IIASA Council meeting in June 2021, which conceptualized a regional membership model aimed at bringing together multiple countries within a region, who are facing similar challenges, but may not have the means or capacity as individual countries to join IIASA as national members.
* Botswana, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
© IIASA
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News
02 June 2026
Climate-driven drought linked to rising violence among adolescents in Southern Africa
New research from IIASA and the University of Oxford provides the first quantitative evidence that drought exposure over the last 12 months is associated with increased risk of sexual, emotional, and physical violence among adolescents in Southern Africa. This risk rises substantially during cumulative droughts over two years.
26 March 2026
From waste to opportunity: SOWU project delivers Uganda’s first national organic waste management strategy
IIASA researchers have been working with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), Stellenbosch University, and the African Centre for Clean Air, to provide financial and technical support to Uganda, through its National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), to develop the Uganda Sector Strategy for Organic Waste Management.
11 November 2025
Together for water: Science diplomacy to advance regional cooperation in MENA
IIASA recently hosted an exploratory workshop titled, Together for water: Fostering collaboration in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The two-day event brought together around 50 representatives from international organizations, civil society organizations, research institutions, and diplomatic missions to explore new pathways for transboundary collaboration on water challenges across the region.
Events
CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, South Africa
IIASA at the 13th World Conference of Science Journalists
Javett Art Centre, University of Pretoria
G20 Side Event: Nexus of Science Diplomacy and Systems Analysis for Africa
Focus
Annual Report 2025: Energy, Climate, and Environment Program Highlights
The transition to a low-carbon future requires both ambitious action and a clear understanding of what works. In 2025, the Energy, Climate, and Environment Program produced research that helped clarify the opportunities, trade-offs, and practical pathways for accelerating climate mitigation and strengthening environmental sustainability.
Annual Report 2025: Economic Frontiers Program Highlights
From poverty and resource extraction to climate policy and economic modeling, the Economic Frontiers Program explored some of the most pressing questions at the intersection of economy, society, and sustainability. Research conducted in 2025 challenged conventional assumptions and generated new perspectives on how progress can be measured and achieved.
Publications
Morton, O., Bousfield, C., Dégny Valé, P., Lamb, I., Maus, V. , Bryant, R., & Edwards, D. (2026). Mining triggers extensive additional deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa. Nature 10.1038/s41586-026-10551-2.
Yildiz, D. , Wiśniowski, A., Brzozowska, Z., & Durowaa-Boateng, A. (2026). A flexible model for reconstructing education-specific fertility rates: The case of sub-Saharan Africa. Demographic Research 54 371-404. 10.4054/DemRes.2026.54.12.
Bittner, D., Smith, J., Leontidis, G., Campbell, G.A., Biegel, J., Smith, P., Kuhnert, M., Skalský, R. , Giuliani, L.M., Salik, A.W., Hallett, P., Burslem, D.F.R.P., Yakob, G., Mekuria, W., Phimister, E., Haileslassie, A., Tegegne, D., Norouzi, S., Chen, H., Gubry-Rangin, C., & Khan, A. (2026). Assessing the impact of nature-based solutions on soil health in sub-Saharan Africa through farmer-centred methods. Environmental Research Letters 21 (4) e043004. 10.1088/1748-9326/ae3975.
Couëdel, A., Falconnier, G.N., Adam, M., Cardinael, R., Six, J., Laub, M., Ruane, A.C., Boote, K., Justes, E., Smith, W.N., Whitbread, A.M., Affholder, F., Akinseye, F.M., Balkovič, J. , Basso, B., Bhatia, A., Chakrabarti, B., Chikowo, R., Christina, M., Faye, B., Ferchaud, F., Folberth, C. , Gaiser, T., Galdos, M., Gayler, S., Gorooei, A., Grant, B., Guibert, H., Hoogenboom, G., Kamali, B., Maureira, F., Mequanint, F., Nendel, C., Porter, C.H., Ripoche, D., Rusinamhodzi, L., Sharma, S., Singh, U., Srivastava, A., Vanlauwe, B., Versini, A., Vianna, M., Webber, H., Weber, T., Zhang, C., & Corbeels, M. (2026). Beyond Climate Change: The Role of Integrated Soil Fertility Management for Sustaining Future Maize Yield in Sub‐Saharan Africa. Global Change Biology 32 (2) e70720. 10.1111/gcb.70720.
Yildiz, D. , Wiśniowski, A., Brzozowska, Z., & Durowaa-Boateng, A. (2025). A flexible model to reconstruct education-specific fertility rates: Sub-Saharan Africa case study. 10.5281/zenodo.17553020.