The United Kingdom and South Africa have announced a series of major scientific and technological initiatives aimed at boosting health, climate resilience, inclusion, and innovation across the African continent. The announcements were made at the Science Forum held at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria, where the British High Commission and South Africa’s Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) unveiled three new collaborative programmes: the UK–South Africa Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy Training Programme, the Space Ecosystem Development Toolkit (SEDT), and the renewal of the partnership between DSTI and the Global Innovation Fund (GIF).
These initiatives build on commitments made during the UK–SA Science and Technology Joint Committee Meeting in London in October, where both nations emphasized strengthening cooperation in priority fields such as health innovation, artificial intelligence, and space science. British High Commissioner Antony Phillipson highlighted the importance of collaboration, noting that the partnership represents a significant investment in skills, networks, and technologies that can deliver shared benefits and lasting positive impact.
The newly launched Global AI Policy Training Programme is designed to help policymakers, science diplomats, and public sector leaders from both countries effectively navigate rapidly evolving AI governance. The programme brings together 30 officials—15 from each country—and draws on expertise from leading global institutions such as the University of Cape Town, the University of Cambridge, and the Global Centre on AI Governance. It forms part of the UK’s broader AI for Development programme, which supports AI solutions for low and middle-income countries and strengthens Southern Africa’s role in global AI leadership.
Momentum continued with the introduction of the Space Ecosystem Development Toolkit (SEDT), launched by the South African Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS) in partnership with the Kenya and Rwanda space agencies and supported by the UK’s Research and Innovation Systems for Africa (RISA) Fund. Designed to address critical gaps in emerging African space sectors—including human capital, finance, infrastructure, policy, and inclusion—the toolkit equips national space agencies with evidence-based planning tools to align priorities and ensure space technologies contribute to economic growth and social development.
Additionally, the DSTI and GIF renewed their partnership to enhance South Africa’s National System of Innovation and accelerate the deployment of scientific solutions that improve lives, especially in underserved communities. The collaboration aims to scale high-impact innovations that address key development challenges such as improving health outcomes, expanding economic inclusion, strengthening climate resilience, and advancing sustainable livelihoods.
Joseph Ssentongo, CEO of the Global Innovation Fund, hailed the renewed partnership as an opportunity to channel expertise and resources into innovations that deliver measurable improvements for communities across Africa. DSTI Deputy Director General for Socio-economic Innovation Partnership, Dr. Mmboneni Muofhe, emphasized that the initiative directly supports South Africa’s STI Decadal Plan, which prioritizes inclusive and evidence-based innovation for social and economic transformation.
Together, these advancements signal a powerful step forward in UK–South Africa scientific cooperation and reaffirm the commitment of both nations to building a future driven by knowledge, innovation, and equitable growth.
