During the Africa-EU Summit in Lisbon in December 2007, the African and European Heads of State agreed the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership which covers 8 thematic areas. For the first time, Science, Information Society and Space is included as a priority area for joint co-operation.

During IST-Africa 2008 Conference in Windhoek in May, a high-level Round Table on the Implementation of the Africa-EU Partnership on Science, Information Society and Space took place during the Opening Plenary session, which was highly successful. Participants included Ministers of Science and Technology from Namibia, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, Director Generals from DG Information Society and Media and DG Research of the European Commission and DST South Africa and Directors from the African Union Commission, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and SADC Secretariat. The Conference Report provides an overview of the Round Table discussion and agreement reached.

On 01 October 2008, the European Commission and African Union Commission held a College-to-College meeting in Brussels to agree the next phase of the Implementation of the 8th Partnership (Science, Information Society and Space).

Janez Potocnik, EU Commissioner for Science and Research, Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media, Günter Verheugen, EU Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry, Louis Michel, EU Commissioner for Development and Professor Ezin, African Union Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology, discussed a portfolio of 19 "lighthouse projects" identified and designed by the African Union Commission (AUC) to respond to African needs that would serve as the framework for implementing the EU/AU Partnership on Science, ICT and Space and its Action plan. They agreed that 6 of these projects are 'early deliverables' and will receive immediate attention.

The 2 projects in the ICT theme selected are the "African Internet Exchange System", focused on enhancing internet deployment and use in Africa, and "Africa Connect" to extend the reach of the European research and education high-speed network GEANT to Sub-Saharan Africa.

The EU and AUC Commissioners also agreed to further use the European 7th Framework Programme for Research (FP7) to broaden African participation notably in the areas of health, environment and climate, energy, agriculture and food, information and communication technologies and space applications. The use of FP7 will complement other EC Development programmes.

Please download the Joint Statement.

Africa-EU Strategic Partnership