The Africa - EU AERAP science platform will organise a virtual conference on the 9-10 September 2020. Entitled “A New Era for Africa-EU Science and Innovation Partnerships”, the meeting will bring together scientists, innovators, networks policymakers and others. The AERAP platform has been in existence since 2012, same year South Africa and its partner countries one the right to host the SKA. AERAP has widened its scope beyond radio astronomy sciences to serve as an engagement platform for Africa-EU wider science collaboration

The purpose of the meeting will be the following:

• Enable and promote discussion on issues were science and innovation can make a contribution to Africa-EU cooperation, in light of the EU-Africa strategy;

• Support awareness of key instruments to support Africa-EU science and innovation cooperation and partnerships;

• Promote discussion for Africa-EU science cooperation within the context of the “Build Back Better” process;

• Encourage dialogue between policymakers and scientists;

• increase the level and range of science and innovation partnerships between EU and Africa, in particular with reference to women, and others need to be included;

• Explore synergies between EU states and Africa States within the broader context of EU Africa science collaboration;

• Support the dissemination of information in order to facilitate increased engagements among stakeholders;

• respond to the opportunities for cooperation under the green deal and digital economy processes presented by the European Union;

• explore alignment between EU-Africa cooperation United Nations SDGs including supporting the awareness of and contribution of science to the SDGs.

The virtual conference on the 9th and 10th of September will bring together representatives from every Africa nation and every EU member state. I hope you will agree that this will be an essential occasion to facilitate dialogue, deal and strengthen EU-Africa cooperation maximise the potential of EU initiatives to make a difference.

Confirmed Speakers

• Barry Andrews MEP

• Karina Angelieva Deputy Science Minister, Bulgaria

• Mahama Ouedraogo Director of Human Resources, Science and Technology Department, African Union Commission

• Jamal Mimouni University of Constantine 1, Algeria; President AfAS, African Astronomical Society

• Kurt Zatloukal Professor of Pathology, Medical University Graz, Director-General BBMRI Austria Node

• Doreen Bogden-Martin UN ITU

• Robert Eiss Senior Advisor to Fogarty International Director, Dr. Roger I. Glass, National Institutes of Health, USA

• Glenda Gray President and CEO, South Africa Medical Research Council

• James Kasigwa, Chair of the AU-EU HLPD

• Michael Makanga, Executive Director, European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP)

• Chiara Ferrari Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur

• Fernando Camilo Chief scientist at the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory

• Phil Diamond Director-General, SKA Organization

• David McNair Executive Director for Global Policy ONE (Keynote)

• Daan Du Toit DDG: International Cooperation and Resources Department of Science and Innovation South Africa

• Paul Ruebig Member, EIT Governing Board

• Happy Sithole CSIR South Africa

• Domingos Barbosa Instituto de Telecomunicações Portugal

• Zeinab Osman Nation Research Council Sudan

• Lizbeth Goodman UCD, Ireland

• Bernd Halling, Bayer, Germany

• Jeffrey Mphahlele Vice President for Research South African Medical Research Council

• Murray Hitzman iCRAG, Ireland

• David Khoza Geoscience Council, South Africa

• Bonita de Swardt, South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)

• Juan Miguel González-Aranda LifeWatch ERIC, Spain

• Georgina Ryan, Dept Science and Innovation, South Africa

• Faouzi Bekkaoui Directeur – INRA, Morocco

• Val Munsami South African National Space Agency

• Thorsten Rudolph AZO Space, Germany

• Hambani Masheleni African Union Commission

• John Womersley, DG EES; Chair EU ERIC Forum

• Yousef Torman, Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN)

• Happy Sithole, CSIR, South Africa

• Moctor Yedaly Head Information Society Division - African Union Commission

• Imraan Patel Deputy Director-General: Socio-Economic Innovation Partnerships, Department of Science and Innovation

• Susan Veldsman, Director, Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)

• Martina de Sole APRE, Italy

• Leonard Mizzi DG DEVCO, European Commission, Belgium