Transformed from the African Bioinformatics Network (ABioNET), ASBCB was established in February 2004 at a meeting in Cape Town, South Africa.
[citation needed] The Society serves as an international forum and resource devoted to developing competence and expertise in bioinformatics and computational biology in Africa.
It complements its activities with those of other international and national societies, associations and institutions, public and private, that have similar aims.
It also promotes the standing of African bioinformatics and computational biology in the global arena through liaison and cooperation with other international bodies.
[citation needed] The Society also has good cooperation with the newly re-established African BIOinformatics NETwork (ABioNet).