WHO WE ARE

NMI is a private, nongovernmental organization. NMI’s official launch took place at a summit of the African Union in September 2004, and it was officially incorporated in June 2005. NMI is supported by the World Bank Institute (WBI), Diaspora of African Scientists and Engineers, Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

WBI, the capacity development arm of the World Bank Group (WBG), helps countries share and apply global and local knowledge to meet the challenges of economic development. It has played an incubatory role in the design and implementation of the AIST initiative. It provided seed funding and intellectual and secretariat support to the AIST concept, and assisted in developing support for AIST from a large number of world-class universities and other academic organizations. The involvement of WBI will diminish as the AIST initiative gains its own momentum.

The Diaspora and community of African scientists, engineers, and academics committed to AIST have played a significant role in advancing the AIST concept so far. Their role will expand and grow more critical as the project proceeds. This informal network is located mainly in academic institutions throughout Africa, Europe and North America.

IIT-Bombay was the second facility in India's revered network of technology institutes to be founded. Established in 1958, today it is recognized as one of India's centers of academic excellence. Over the years, IIT-Bombay evolved to ensure it maintained a par with the best institutions in the world. IIT-Bombay has supported the AIST initiative since the initiative was first conceived.

The IFC is the private sector arm of the WBG. It promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries as a way to reduce poverty and improve people's lives.