Germany will withdraw from the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Organisation in 2015. Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor has expressed disappointment at Germany’s decision.

Germany officially informed the SKA Director-General of its intention to leave the SKA Organisation on Thursday. Under the current legal agreements, Germany’s membership of SKA Organisation will end on June 30, 2015.

The organisation said, though the decision is regrettable, it was understandable as the decision was driven by difficult national financial circumstances around the funding of large research infrastructures in Germany and Europe and that it by no means reflects a lack of confidence in the SKA project.

The minister will in the coming weeks set up a meeting with her Germany counter-part to further discuss this issue.

 

(SAnews.gov.za)