Annals of African Medicine Annals of African Medicine Society ISSN: 1596-3519 Vol. 4, Num. 1, 2005, pp. 1

THE SOCIETY OF AFRICAN JOURNAL EDITORS (SAJE)

Code Number: am05001

African journal editors have realised the need to improve the quality and dissemination of scientific research findings more effectively, both continentally and internationally. In 2002, the Hon. Prof. Ruth Oniang’o (Nominated MP), editor of African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutritional and  Development (AJFAND) came up with the idea of forming a society that will bring together African journal editors so they can work together to improve the quality and visibility of their journals. Her efforts culminated in the compilation of a draft constitution and actual formation of the society.

The Society of African Journal Editors (SAJE) was launched on 16^th December 2004, during a 2-day workshop held at the Lenana Mount Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya from 16 – 17^th December 2004. The workshop was organised by the Rural Outreach Program headed by Hon. Prof. Oniang’o, and generously sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation, International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), MONSANTO Company, USA and Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA). The inaugural meeting was attended by editors, reviewers and collaborators from 8 African countries (Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana, Uganda, South Africa, Ethiopia and Kingdom of Lesotho).

Some of the objectives of SAJE include;

         i.To facilitate and organise capacity building activities geared towards improving the editorial and managerial skills of African scientific editors as well as raising the quality of journals published in Africa.

        ii. To facilitate networking and promote the sharing of information, experience, resources and expertise among African journal editors as well as between them and their colleagues elsewhere in the world.

      iii. To improve the promotion, marketing and distribution of African journals, and contribute to their sustainability.

      iv. To mobilise resource and provide support for the strengthening and growth of African journals.

       v. To promote maximum utilisation of African journals in academia, the development community and among policy makers.

      vi. To enhance the international visibility of African journals.

Some of the recommendations of the meeting include training of editors, sourcing of finding, development of policies, ethics and guidelines for quality journals and indexing of published journals.

At the end of the meeting, a protem executive committee was elected to oversee the affairs of the society for a period.  Efforts need to me made by all journal editors in Africa to actualise the objectives of the society so that our journals can become well-established, reliable and recognised media for scientific research and information. Current contacts for the society are Hon. Prof. Ruth Oniang’o, Nairobi, Kenya (oniango@iconnet.co.ke) and Dr. H. N. Mbibu, Zaria, Nigeria (mbibu@skannet.com). 

Copyright 2005 - Annals of African Medicine