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Zawya
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
South Africa: Minister Blade Nzimande undertakes extensive Science, Technology and Innovation visit to Tunisia and Algeria
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Blade Nzimande, will lead a high-level South African delegation on an extensive science, technology and innovation visit to the Republic of Tunisia and the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria from 14 to 17 July 2025. These visits are in response to invitations to Minister Nzimande by the Tunisian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Mondher Belaid and the Algerian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Kamel Bidari. Through these visits, Minister Nzimande seeks to reinforce existing science, technology, and innovation bilateral cooperation between South Africa and Tunisia and Algeria as part of a broader commitment to grow the size and intensity of intra-Africa STI cooperation for development. Minister Nzimande's programme will include bilaterals with his Algerian and Tunisian counterparts and visits to key science institutions. In Tunisia, the Minister will visit the Borja Cedria Technopark, the Pasteur Institute of Tunis, the Bardo National Museum for arts and history and the City of Science Museum. In Algeria, the Minister will visit, the Centre for the Development of Advanced Technologies, the Saad Dahlab University, and the Great Mosque of Algiers. One of the highlights of Minister Nzimande's visit to Algeria will include a guest lecture organised by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific cooperation on Pan-African cooperation. Reflecting on the importance of these visits, Minister Nzimande stated that "Our visit to Algeria and Tunisia forms part of our long standing international relations strategy to strengthen meaningful science, technology and innovation cooperation with fellow African countries and to advance the objectives of the African Union's Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA).' 'Pan-African STI cooperation and development are of paramount importance given the current unstable geopolitical environment and the imperatives of securing the sustainable future of the continent. All our efforts are therefore aimed towards developing what we refer to as a sovereign science, technology, and innovation agenda for Africa,' added the Minister. The two visits will conclude with the adoption by the DSTI and counterpart Ministries, of two new comprehensive Plans of Action, aimed at intensifying cooperation with Tunisia and Algeria, respectively. This will be an immediate and concrete implementation of the ambitions for South Africa's science diplomacy, which Minister Nzimande had outlined in his Budget Vote speech last week. The Minister's delegation includes senior officials from the Ministry, the Department and the Entities of the Department such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), as well as experts from the Council for Mineral Technology (Mintek) Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, Republic of South Africa.
Zawya
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
South Africa and Tunisia strengthen Science, Technology and Innovation cooperation
As part of Minister Nzimande's extensive official visit to the Republic of Tunisia, earlier today, the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) signed a partnership to scale up science, technology and innovation cooperation with Tunisia. 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. Speaking ahead of the signing ceremony, Minister Nzimande stated that "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.' Emphasing the strategic importance of South Africa-Tunisia STI cooperation, Minister Nzimande further stated that '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)." The signing of this partnership builds on existing STI cooperation between South Africa and Tunisa 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). Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, Republic of South Africa.
African Manager
27-02-2025
- Business
- African Manager
Tunisia: A virtual innovation desk for priority economic reforms
The establishment of the Virtual Innovation Desk (French: GVI) is part of the priority economic reforms aimed at boosting investment, laying the foundations for economic recovery, and transitioning to a modern development model. Indeed, the GVI will enhance the business climate, establish open governance (Open Gov), and position Tunisia as a new hub of innovation in Africa, stated the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mondher Belaid, during a National Workshop on the GVI framework organized on Tuesday by the Agency for the Promotion of Industry and Innovation (APII). For his part, Director General of APII, Omar Bouzouada, emphasized that the GVI is intended to be a digital platform aimed at unifying the efforts of all stakeholders in the field of innovation to promote networking and provide services to young entrepreneurs, innovative project leaders, and industrial companies. He added that this desk will allow users to consult programs and mechanisms for financing and technical support for innovation, as well as establish partnership programs with scientific research centers. The GVI will also enable companies, including startups, to access all services and build relationships at both national and international levels, he added. For his part, Vice-President of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA), Hichem Elloumi, highlighted the importance of innovation in strengthening the competitiveness of companies, which is now a strategic necessity for Tunisian businesses.
