Franco-South African cooperation in science & technology has led to a body of rigorous research projects being carried out across various fields.
Science, Technology and Innovation (S&T) is instrumental in facilitating development by advancing efforts to eradicate poverty, achieve food security, fight diseases, protect the environment and improve education. For example, S&T is currently being applied to providing rural communities across the globe, where the majority of the world’s poor live, with access to clean drinking water, basic sanitation and improved healthcare.
In order to remain competitive within the increasingly knowledge-based global economy, the South African government is committed to socio-economic development through the promotion of capacity building, research and innovation. National R&D expenditure for 2008/09 amounted to 21 billion rand, representing 0,92% of GDP. France, which comprises a deep pool of highly qualified researchers and excellent research facilities, proffers reinforcement to the South African government in its endeavours to transform the South African community into a productive, knowledge-based society which would eventually render economic benefits and increased quality of life for its citizens. With 1179 co-publications between 2004 and 2008, France ranks 5th among South Africa’s global partners in S&T.
For more information about France’s action to promote innovation in 2010, please dowload the brochure.
The partnership between the two countries is driven by four main objectives : research excellence and innovation, human capacity development, heightened public awareness of Science and Technology and university cooperation.
