South Africa and Tanzania hold high-level bilateral meeting focus on science and innovation cooperation
Date: 2026-03-25
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
Department
of Science Technology and Innovation South Africa has announced strengthened
collaboration between South Africa and Tanzania following a high-level
bilateral engagement in Cape Town focused on advancing science, technology, and
innovation.
The
meeting, led by Nomalungelo Gina and Wanu Hafidh Ameir, outlined a roadmap to
expand cooperation across key sectors, including education, research, and
digital governance.
Among
the outcomes, both countries agreed to scale up student mobility programmes,
including continued support for Tanzanian students at the University of
Johannesburg under the Samia Scholarship Extended Programme. The engagement
also prioritized the launch of joint research initiatives and shared funding
mechanisms to support innovation-driven development.
Discussions
further highlighted the importance of digital sovereignty, with emphasis placed
on strengthening data protection frameworks as a foundation for Africa’s
participation in global artificial intelligence discourse.
The
two countries also aligned their cooperation with regional priorities,
particularly South Africa’s upcoming leadership of the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) from 2026 to 2027, as part of efforts to advance
the Africa Science, Technology and Innovation Agenda 2024.
Officials
said the partnership reflects growing momentum toward deeper scientific
collaboration across the continent, with initiatives such as university
twinning programmes and trilateral partnerships expected to further strengthen
Africa’s research and innovation ecosystem.
