IPSA at the AAPS Conference in Dakar

Photo: The IPSA delegation met with representatives of national political science associations 

IPSA President Yuko Kasuya and several Executive Committee members were in Dakar, Senegal, to participate in the 18th Biennial Conference of the African Association of Political Science (AAPS), held from 7 to 10 December 2025. This year’s conference was held under the theme The State, Citizens, Sovereignty and Africa in Global Politics.

On 8 December, President Kasuya addressed the delegates during the AAPS Congress opening ceremony, which was followed later by a special IPSA panel titled Co-creating IPSA–AAPS Africa Online Workshop Series: Aims, Partnership, and Sustainability. IPSA’s newly created Africa Task Force Co-Chairs, Kgothatso Shai (IPSA Vice-President) and Serge Granger (Former IPSA Executive Committee member), together with IPSA President Yuko Kasuya, met with members of AAPS. The panel introduced the IPSA–AAPS Africa Online Workshop Series, a new initiative designed to support graduate students and junior scholars based at Africa-based institutions. The program will offer mentoring, skills development, and networking opportunities with a focus on strengthening academic writing and professional development. 

Photo (left to right): Yuko Kasuya (IPSA President), Serge Granger (Co-Chair, IPSA Task Force on African Engagement), Kgothatso Shai (IPSA Vice-President and Co-Chair, IPSA Task Force on African Engagement) and Christopher Isike (AAPS President, former IPSA Vice-President).

The IPSA delegation also met with leaders of national political science associations (PSAs) on 9 December. The meeting focused on exchanging views on how to strengthen political science research across the African continent, with participation from leaders of 12 National PSAs. 

Find out more: aaps2025.org.