The European Commission today 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.
Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:
“Our jointly established EU-Africa priorities are now being translated into actions such as; the new online platforms, the new ENRICH in Africa project, ARISE calls launch and the Horizon Europe Africa Initiative. These activities contribute to building knowledge economies for sustainable growth and jobs. The pilot Africa Europe Innovation Partnership, has been instrumental in connecting the EU with the Africa Union high-quality incubators, accelerators and technology transfer offices.”
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.