South Africa and Tunisia Strengthen Ties with New Science and Innovation Partnership

As part of Minister Nzimande’s extensive official visit to the Republic of Tunisia, the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI ) signed a partnership agreement to scale up science, technology, and innovation cooperation with Tunisia earlier.

The partnership referred to as the Scaling up Tunisia – South Africa Strategy, includes a Plan of Action and Joint Research Call Meeting Minutes. The focus areas of the Action Plan include an Exchange Programme, Networking and inter-institutional cooperation, a Joint Research Programme, Intellectual Property Rights, Knowledge and Skills Transfer in Innovation, Participation in International Programs and Governance.

The signing ceremony was preceded by an opening ceremony, where His Excellency, Mr. Mondher Belaid, Tunisia’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and His Excellency, Prof. Blade Nzimande, South Africa’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, delivered their keynote remarks.

“Even though our visit is primarily aimed at strengthening science, technology and innovation relations between the Republic of Tunisia and the Republic of South Africa- the truth is that the bond between our countries was forged in the heat of the anti-colonial struggle. I wish to express our appreciation for the cordial relations between South Africa and Tunisia and thank the Tunisian Embassy in South Africa for the excellent work they have done in keeping our partnership alive. To express our appreciation for this work done by your Embassy in South Africa, through our Science Forum South Africa, we awarded Ms. Hasna Tizaoui, Economic and Cultural Counsellor of the Embassy of Tunisia with the prestigious Science Diplomacy award. The emerging geopolitical environment presents us with a number of complex challenges, including a growing push towards unipolarity by some countries, through bully tactics. We therefore hold the view that African countries must intensify sub-regional science, technology and innovation cooperation and through this, mobilise more coherent support for the implementation of the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa or (STISA).”

– Blade Nzimande, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, South Africa. 

The signing of this partnership builds on existing STI cooperation between South Africa and Tunisia and further enables the two countries to intensify the development of sustainable solutions to address old and emerging continental challenges such as youth unemployment and skills development, health care, food sovereignty, water and energy security, climate change and biodiversity loss and digital transformation.

The delegation accompanying Minister Nzimande includes senior officials from the Ministry, the Department and the Entities of the Department such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the National Research Foundation (NRF), as well as experts from the Council for Mineral Technology (Mintek).