Africa, EU discuss increased cooperation in science and technology
Posted on 16. May, 2010 by admin in Events, News-Technology
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is hosting a stakeholders’ meeting in conjunction with a Europe-Africa science and technology cooperation network.
The Network for the Coordination and Advancement of Sub-Saharan Africa-EU Science and Technology Cooperation (CAAST-Net) will take place at the Hilton Hotel in Durban on 17 May.
CAAST-Net is a five-year initiative, financed by the European Union, with the purpose of improving the quantity and quality of science and technology (S&T) cooperation between the two regions in areas of mutual interest and for mutual benefit.
Speakers will include delegates from the DST, the African Union Commission, the European Commission, the NEPAD Office for Science and Technology, the SADC Secretariat and UNESCO, among others.
Topics to be discussed range from the status of current bi-regional S&T cooperation, to the EU’s new S&T cooperation projects with Africa, worth €63 million, in the areas of health, the environment and food security research.
The meeting’s programme can be downloaded from the CAAST-Net website (http://www.caast-net.org, “Annual Assembly III”).
About CAAST-Net
CAAST-Net was formed against the background of a global consensus that capacity in science and technology is an essential pre-requisite to economic competitiveness, sustainable development and poverty reduction.
In support of its goal, the network has a range of activity clusters aimed at supporting and informing existing Europe-Africa S&T policy dialogue and cooperation processes.
Activities include the identification and prioritisation of research areas and topics of mutual interest and benefit, thereby harnessing cooperation to address specific problems faced locally and regionally within Africa, as well as common problems of a global nature.
Subject areas of current interest for cooperation between Europe and Africa include energy research, information and communication technologies, the social sciences and humanities, health and transport, among others.
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