AU-EU Innovation Agenda
The African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) have adopted a joint AU-EU Innovation Agenda, which aims to transform and increase the innovative capacities and achievements of European and African researchers and innovators into tangible outputs, such as products, services, businesses and jobs.
Supported by the Global Gateway, the AU-EU Innovation Agenda will represent the mainstay of the cooperation on Science, Technology and Innovation between Africa and Europe, for the next decade.
The Agenda includes 4 objectives, with short-, medium- and long-term actions, grouped according to the priority areas of AU-EU Cooperation in Research and Innovation (R&I), namely Public Health, Green Transition, Innovation and Technology and Capacities for Science, in addition to Cross-cutting issues.
The joint AU-EU Innovation Agenda is accompanied by the Roadmap, which provides an overview of the governance and coordination of the Agenda as well as an inventory of implementing initiatives. It will be constantly updated on a quarterly basis to include additional initiatives in the coming years. Several initiatives will contribute to its implementation, including programmes by the European Commission such as Horizon Europe and the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package, the AU Commission, EU and AU Member States and other organisations.
AU and EU Ministers of R&I will meet in 2024 to review progress towards the implementation.
AU-EU Innovation Interface
The AU-EU Innovation Interface is part of the Innovation Talent Platform. It features information on initiatives and opportunities for innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers and investors, generated during the implementation of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda. Among other resources, this Interface will give access to a new “AU-EU Deep Tech Transformation Training Scheme”, addressed to innovators and entrepreneurs, that is expected to start before the end of 2023.
AU-EU High Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on Science, Technology and Innovation
Africa is a unique partner for the EU for historical and geographical reasons. Africa and Europe have developed a long-term, broad and evolving partnership across various policy areas.
The AU-EU High Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on Science, Technology and Innovation is the forum where regular exchanges on research and innovation policy take place and long-term priorities to strengthen cooperation are decided. The HLPD was adopted at the 3rd AU-EU Summit in Tripoli in 2010 as an important element of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES).
Priorities and partnerships
The HLPD defines priority areas for research cooperation to support the implementation of the JAES.
AU-EU research and innovation priorities
The thematic priorities for research and innovation were announced during the first ministerial meeting of the African Union and European Union research and innovation ministers in July 2020. Various networks and partnerships are active within each priority area
AU-EU research and innovation partnerships
The main tools for implementing the priorities are 3 long-term, jointly funded research and innovation partnerships under the HLPD.
- Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) under the green transition priority
- Climate Change and Sustainable Energy (CCSE) under the green transition priority
- Innovation under the innovation and technology priority (see for example AEIP - summary of achievements)
Research and innovation in health
- Public health represented by the European Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) under the public health priority
Policy framework
A number of policies frame the cooperation between the African Union and the European Union.
From the Lomé Convention in 1975, to the Cotonou Agreement in 2000 and the recent new strategy with Africa, all show the long-lasting political relation between the two continents and the EU’s relationship with Africa as a key priority.
Funding and support
The role of research and innovation activities and policy is becoming increasingly central and urgent in facing Africa and Europe’s shared challenges: the need to promote sustainable growth and jobs, green transition, digital transformation, mobility, security and good governance, and today, crucially, a pandemic.
Establishing sustainable collaboration, widening the exchange and mutual benefits, anchored in reciprocal commitment and based on shared values and interests, require investments and funding for research and innovation from both continents.
You can find the main research an innovation funding programmes of the EU, EU countries and the AU below.
Projects and results
Research project database (CORDIS)
The Commission's primary portal for results of EU-funded research projects with Africa
For previous research and innovation programmes, please contact the research enquiries service.
Horizon results platform
Participants of framework programmes present their results for you to search, contact their owners, and form partnerships on this platform
Contact
National Contact Points
The National Contact Points (NCPs) provide guidance, practical information and assistance on all aspects of participation in Horizon Europe.
Research enquiry service
You can contact the research enquiry service to find out more about research in Europe, the EU's research and innovation funding programmes as well as calls for proposals and project funding.
European Commission
Documents
The final version of the Agenda was adopted in July 2023, following the Working Document published on 14 February 2022.
Report on the AU-EU Innovation Agenda Stakeholder Event that took place in Nairobi and online on 23 and 24 November 2022.
As a strategic partner, the EU seeks to enhance cooperation with Africa to promote actions targeted to finding locally adapted solutions to challenges that are global in nature, but which often hit Africa hardest.
As a strategic partner, the EU seeks to enhance cooperation with Africa to promote actions targeted to finding locally adapted solutions to challenges that are global in nature, but which often hit Africa hardest.
A strategic partnership supported by Global Gateway
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