The European Commission participated in the second meeting of the G20 Research and Innovation Working Group

The second meeting of the G20 Research and Innovation Working Group (RIWG) of the South African Presidency took place from 25 to 27 May 2025 in Mbombela, at the University of Mpumalanga, South Africa.

The Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) of the European Commission joined the annual Africa Day celebration, which commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity, now known as the African Union (AU). The panel, titled "Strategic Partnerships and Funding Opportunities for the Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA) 2034 Implementation," focused on strengthening cooperation between Africa and the European Union. It highlighted the Africa Initiative III under the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025, which allocates €500.5 million to accelerate the translation of scientific knowledge into action on shared global challenges across both continents.

The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) of the Republic of South Africa, Professor Blade Nzimande, attended the Africa Day celebration, where he delivered a keynote speech under the theme "Harnessing Global Solidarity for the Implementation of STISA 2034". Minister Nzimande stressed the importance of the African Union's Agenda 2063 and its 10-year science blueprint, STISA 2034, which prioritises knowledge-based economies, innovation-driven industrialisation and inclusive growth.

The European Commission was represented by DG RTD at the second meeting of the G20 RIWG on 26-27 May 2025. The meeting reviewed progress on the ten deliverables aligned with the group's three key priorities:

1. Open Innovation for Sustainable Development
2. Biodiversity Information for Sustainable Development
3. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Science, Technology, and Innovation; agreed upon at the first RIWG meeting, which took place at the University of the Free State in February 2025

In addition, the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the draft G20 Tshwane Research and Innovation Ministerial Declaration.

Side events

On 28-29 May, two side events of the G20 RIWG took place.

The seminar on 28 May focused on developing global collaborations to support museums and natural history collections, exploring key aspects of biodiversity and the value of scientific collections for science, society, and biodiversity.

The workshop on 29 May identified global collaborative opportunities for developing a roadmap aimed at enhancing worldwide efforts in museums and natural history collections.

More information

Regional Dialogues and International Organisations