International Council of African Museums

AFRICOM, Executive Director,Dr Rudo Sithole

International Council of African Museums (also known as AFRICOM) is a membership-based international Non Governmental Organization^[1] (NGO) which serves as an association for museums, heritage professionals and stakeholders. It is committed to the safeguarding, conserving and the sharing of African heritage resources through resource mobilization, advocacy, support of capacity building efforts, networking and raising awareness so as to achieve a rich vibrant heritage in Africa.With approximately 2000 members in 51 African countries and beyond, AFRICOM was established as a membership based pan-African Non-Governmental Organization with a vision of safeguarding the rich and vibrant African Heritage.

History

ICOM's programme for Africa, known as AFRICOM, was born as an outcome of a series of meetings "What Museums for Africa? Heritage in the Future" organized by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) in Benin, Ghana and Togo in 1991. The aim of the meetings was to address the role and the relevance of museums for the African continent. Subsequently, African professionals drew up a programme that addressed the needs of the museums and the museum profession in Africa.

Four areas of focus were defined:

• The autonomy of African museums
• Regional collaboration between museums through joint activities
• Specialised training for museum curators, technicians and teachers
• Protecting heritage and fighting against the illicit traffic in cultural property

The programme was implemented by museums in Africa, run by ICOM, and supervised by a Coordinating Committee made up of African museum professionals. In its two phases, 1993-1995 (AFRICOM I) and 1996-1998 (AFRICOM II), AFRICOM initiated a whole range of projects to fulfill its objectives. At the same time, the programme management evolved towards greater autonomy and greater responsibility of the African professionals involved, thus creating the conditions for transforming AFRICOM into a non-governmental professional organisation.

AFRICOM Executive Director,Dr Rudo Sithole sharing with Mrs.Irina Bokova,Director General UNESCO

After eight years of projects and activities relating to all fields of museology, African museum professionals and ICOM's General Assembly decided that the coordination of the AFRICOM Programme could be transferred to Africa, and that the programme could become a fully-fledged organisation: the International Council of African Museums.

A Constituent Assembly of AFRICOM convened in Lusaka, Zambia from 3rd to 9 October 1999 and developed the organisation's constitution and a detailed programme for the next three years. The Assembly elected also the Board of Directors, the President and the Treasurer, and decided that the organisation's headquarters shall be established in Nairobi, Kenya. The 1993-1999 period saw the initiation and pioneering of AFRICOM as a pan-African NGO bringing together diverse members across the continent. The consolidation period of 1999-2002 resulted in the establishment of the organisation as fully constituted body within Africa.

Objectives

• AFRICOM seeks to promote Development of Museums and Museum Related institutions in Africa in the context of global development;
• Promote the development of professions on which Museum activities are built;
• Strengthening the collaboration and co-operation among Museums and Museum Professionals in Africa, and develop exchanges within Museum professionals abroad;
• Promoting the participation of all sectors of the society in the protection and appreciation of cultural and natural heritage;
• Fighting against the illicit trafficking of African Heritage;
• Establish and maintain an autonomous institution to achieve these objectives

Priority areas

1. Contribute towards fulfilling the key objectives of AFRICOM as a membership based institution.
2. Strengthen and enhance the impact of AFRICOM programmes and activities in Africa, and beyond.
3. Strengthen the AFRICOM pan-African resolve, commitment and action plan and in the context of regional developments on the African continent.
4. Remain relevant to the African museums/heritage institutions.
5. Maintain the museum/heritage institution is focus of AFRICOM programming.
6. Build alliances and partnerships amongst museums/heritage institutions, museum and heritage professionals, within Africa and beyond.
7. Strengthen advocacy for African museums/heritage institutions at national and international levels.

Mrs.Lorna Abungu,Former AFRICOM Executive Director addressing the General Assembly Plenary in Cape Town in 2006

Achievements

Since its inception in the year 2000, AFRICOM has achieved its objective through projects and heritage initiatives in Africa which includes:-

• Establishment of legal and administrative frameworks to ensure smooth and transparent operations of AFRICOM.
• Establishment of a One Stop digital Information Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.
• Mapping of Museums in Africa in partnership with UNESCO and Google Kenya.
• Printing of an electronic and hardy copy annual newsletters (English/French).
• Supported the publication of the Portuguese version of ICOM's Handbook of Standards Documenting African Collections for the benefit of the Museum professionals and institutions in Lusophone countries.
• Computerized database of museums and museum professionals in Africa.
• Launched an exhibition development and capacity building for museums in East Africa.
• Established a small grants and consultancy fund to support the activities of museums in Africa
• Development of the AFRICOM website and the online discussion list AFRICOM-L.
• Directory of Museum Professionals in Africa (© 2003 and 2011)- in English and French
• Traveling and community exhibitions on the African continent.
• Short-term international student and professionals internships/exchange programmes.
• AFRICOM General Assemblies: 1st -Nairobi, Kenya [2003] and 2nd -Cape Town, South Africa [2006].
• Active partnership and sharing of resources with partner organizations (ICOM, SAMP, EPA, CHDA, WAMP, etc.)

Country Membership

As of December 2011, AFRICOM counted membership in 51 African countries.

Controversy

AFRICOM shares its abbreviation with US Army Africa command

References

Literature

• What Museums for Africa?Heritage in the Future

External links

• AfRICOM Museum

de:International Council of African Museums