The African plate was the site of numerous large and destructive earthquakes, the most recent events being the 2009 Karonga earthquake (M 6.2) in Malawi, the 2008 Bukavu earthquake (M 6.0) in D.R.Congo, the 2006 Machaze earthquake (M 7.0) in Mozambique, the 2003 Zemmouri-Boumerdes earthquake (M 6.8) in Algeria, and the 1990 Juba earthquake (M 7.1) in South Soudan. Seismically active regions are primarily located along rift zones and related volcanic activity, thrust and fold mountain belts, and along mainly offshore transform faults. Several seismotectonic structures may generate large earthquakes in densely populated regions inducing severe damage and significant economic losses in Africa. Seismotectonic regions in Africa are poorly known in terms of the current faulting activity, crustal deformation, and their geodynamic causes. The North African thrust and fold belt and the East African Rift system are the most obvious areas of ongoing tectonic deformation experiencing large earthquakes (Yang and Chen, 2010; Meghraoui and Pondrelli, 2012). However, other regions like the Cameroon Volcanic Line and the Congo Basin in Central Africa, the West Africa and Southern African plateau are also seismically active. The presence of major active faults that generate destructive earthquakes is among the most important geological and geophysical hazards in the continent. The development of thematic mapping with the identification and characterization of seismically active zones constitutes the framework for seismic hazard assessment and mitigation of catastrophes. This subject was discussed in a session during the 23rd Colloquium of African Geology in Johannesburg (CAG 23, 8 – 14 January 2011) and was a concern expressed during the Algiers meeting of the Organisation of African Geological Surveys (OAGS, May 2011) who requested the preparation of the seismotectonic map of the African continent and prospect the seismic hazard and risk implications. A working group* addresses these issues in the framework of the IGC Project-601 “Seismotectonics and seismic hazards in Africa” of UNESCO-IUGS, funded by the Swedish International Development Agency and UNESCO-Nairobi for a period of 4 years (2011 – 2014) extended to 2016. The seismotectonic map is prepared under the lead of geoscientists (mostly from African academic and research institutions) who conducted large scientific projects in earthquake geology, seismology, seismotectonics and geophysics in Africa. This contribution intends to report on the scientific programme, procedure and activities of the working group, and related framework for the buildup of the local, regional and continental studies of crustal deformation and related hazards in Africa.