The European Union (EU) and South Africa agreed to step up collaboration in the fields of research infrastructures, earth observation and global health research at last week’s 12th Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee meeting.

The meeting reviewed and planned new priorities of collaboration under the new EU research and innovation programme Horizon 2020 and similar South African research programmes.

The meeting took note of South Africa’s planned association to the EUREKA Network for industrial research.  They also discussed other possible future areas of cooperation includingthe bio-economy, water and waste management, the possible opening of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance initiative to new partners such as South Africa and minerals research and innovation.

Horizon 2020

The European Commission launched the first calls under Horizon 2020 at the end of last year, with several focus areas for cooperation with Africa in general and South Africa more specifically. Focus areas included research infrastructure partnerships, research towards achieving near-zero waste at European and global level and strategic international dialogues and cooperation on raw materials with technologically advanced countries.