The EC launched two platforms to enhance cooperation with Africa. Both contribute to the Africa strategy outlined in the Global Approach on R&I.
The European Commission (EC) took first steps to put the ‘EU Global Approach to Research and Innovation’, presented on 18 May 2021, into action. On 30 June, it launched two new platforms for cooperation with Africa, one of the focus regions of the Global approach. The platforms include the ‘EU-Africa cooperation in research and innovation (R&I)’ portal and the ‘EU-Mediterranean cooperation in R&I’ portal. Both portals shall provide one-stop shops for policy makers and stakeholders including researchers and innovators interested in EU-Africa cooperation in R&I.
The EU-Africa portal focuses on the EU-African Union (AU) High Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation. It explains the priorities under the cooperation, which have been agreed on by research and innovation ministers of both sides in July 2020. These priorities include the ‘Green Transition’, ‘Innovation and Technology’, ‘Public Health’ and ‘Capacities for Science and Higher Education’. In addition, the portal links to the three long-term AU-EU R&I partnerships, which are the main vehicle for the implementation of these priorities. The cooperation in public health for instance is implemented through the European Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). This public-private partnership will go into its third round under Horizon Europe. It will continue its efforts to reduce the socio-economic burden of infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa and promote the development and uptake of new or improved health technologies by supporting clinical trials.
The EU-Mediterranean portal is based on the Union for the Mediterranean, an intergovernmental institution connecting the EU with 15 countries of the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean. One of the six main areas covered by the institution is research. Bilateral research agreements of the EU with countries within the Union for the Mediterranean cover the Northern African countries of Algeria. Morocco and Tunisia. The regional platform on research and innovation monitors and promotes cooperation and brings the partners together for political dialogue. The new portal informs on priorities such as renewable energy, climate change and health, presents funding opportunities and lists supported projects with the aim of fostering opportunities for the countries of the Southern Mediterranean.
In addition to the two portals, the actions detailed for the cooperation with Africa in the Global Approach and launched by the EC also include concrete projects. The new ENRICH in Africa project builds on the tech hub linkages built up in the Africa Europe Innovation Partnership (AEIP). It brings together key stakeholders from the innovation landscape of Europe and Africa with the aim of improving incubators, accelerators and skills in both regions. The new programmes within the project will support businesses in their internationalisation with a special focus on SMEs. The second project is the EU’s African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence (ARISE) pilot programme. Established in December 2020, it will empower early career African scientists in delivering cutting-edge research across Africa. The programme has just opened a call for applications. Horizon Europe will complement all the above Africa activities with its call for proposals under the Africa Initiative. The call was launched on 16 June within the work programme 2021-2022, and comprises around 40 topics with a total budget of €350 million.