About AAI
About Africa-Asia Institute
About Us
The Africa–Asia Institute (AAI) is a board-led non-profit organization. The board is chaired by Hon. Dr. Dima Nogo Serbo, Chairperson of the Foreign Relations and Peace Standing Committee of the Ethiopian House of Peoples’ Representatives.
Our Mission
“To serve as a platform for research, dialogue, and collaboration that builds stronger Africa-Asia ties.”
Who We Are
Our Story
Africa–Asia Institute (AAI) is a legally registered NGO under the Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations Proclamation No. 1113/2019, with registration number 7359, and headquartered in Addis Ababa.
The Africa-Asia Institute (AAI) was founded to bridge a long-standing and significant gap: the absence of a dedicated institution that fosters sustained, structured collaboration between the continents of Africa and Asia. While historical ties between these regions stretch back to antiquity—through trade, cultural exchange, and shared struggles against colonization—modern institutional mechanisms for joint research, cultural dialogue, and policy innovation have remained underdeveloped. AAI seeks to change that.
Rooted in the spirit of the Bandung Conference of 1955, which laid the foundation for South-South solidarity, AAI is a forward-looking initiative aimed at transforming shared history into shared strategy. It brings together academics, policymakers, artists, civil society leaders, and entrepreneurs from both continents to engage in meaningful dialogue and cooperative action. AAI is more than a research center—it is a living bridge between civilizations, dedicated to fostering inclusive development, mutual understanding, and intellectual leadership.
The Institute is designed to address contemporary challenges—such as climate change, peace and security, digital transformation, and inequality—through the lens of collaborative innovation and cultural respect. By aligning research with practice, and people with policy, AAI aims to build a new narrative for Africa and Asia: one defined not by dependency, but by solidarity, partnership, and vision.
