- Posted 02-Jul-2021
Commission launches one-stop-shops for EU-Africa cooperation in research and innovation
The European Commission launched two new platforms, the EU-Africa (EU-AU) cooperation in research and innovation (R&I) portal and the EU-Mediterranean cooperation in R&I portal to provide one-stop-shops for all policy-makers and stakeholders interested in EU-Africa cooperation on research and innovation.
They are part of the cooperation initiatives announced in the EU Global Approach to Research and Innovation and the EU comprehensive strategy with Africa. These initiatives also include the call for applications of the EU’s African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence (ARISE) pilot programme and the Horizon-2020 funded project ENRICH in Africa. The latter builds on the work and the numerous established tech hub linkages of the Africa Europe Innovation Partnership (AEIP) and creates a network that strengthens and connects the EU and Africa ecosystems.
The EU-Africa cooperation in R&I portal focuses on the EU-AU High Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation, through which the European Union and the African Union develop and implement joint short, medium and long-term research and innovation policy priorities and activities.
The EU-Mediterranean cooperation in R&I portal aims to foster greater research and innovation collaboration between the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Member States, including North Africa.
Supporting internationalisation of businesses
The EU-funded project ENRICH in Africa was presented to stakeholders at the final Africa Europe Innovation Partnership conference today in the presence of Commissioner Gabriel and Commissioner Agbor of the African Union Commission. This project bring together key stakeholders from the innovation landscape of Europe and Africa, to improve the incubators, accelerators, and entrepreneurial skills in both regions. Entrepreneurs in Africa and Europe can now enter the new programmes, designed to support internationalisation of businesses, in particular SMEs, between the two continents.
Call for applications open
The call for applications of the European Union’s African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence (ARISE) pilot programme is open. ARISE, launched in December 2020, will empower early career African scientists in delivering cutting-edge research across Africa..
Background
The portals announced today, the ENRICH in Africa and ARISE projects are part of a bigger package of cooperation initiatives announced in the EU Global Approach to Research and Innovation and the EU’s comprehensive strategy with Africa. In addition, on 16 June the call for proposals under the Africa Initiative, as part of the Horizon Europe work programme 2021-2022, comprising around 40 topics with a budget of around €350 million, representing numerous opportunities for European and African researchers to strengthen cooperation in the areas of green transition, public health, Innovation and Technologies and Capacities for Science.
Source: European Commission I Research and Innovation (https://bit.ly/3hdgYKh)