African Funders Advance Visibility and Engagement at GRC 2026 in Thailand

African Science Granting Councils this week engaged in several strategic convenings on the sidelines of the 2026 Global Research Council (GRC) Annual Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. The engagements, held between 17 and 19 May 2026, focused on strengthening the visibility, coordination and participation of African and Global South research funders in global research funding discussions.

The engagements, co-convened by the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), included the GRC South Day; the Global South Heads of Research Councils Meeting; and the SGCI Funders Collaborative Breakfast. These discussions aimed to consolidate and coordinate the positions of Global South funders, while exchanging shared lessons on strengthening science systems nationally and regionally with funders from Asia, Latin America and the Middle East and North Africa regions.

The Global South Heads of Research Councils Meeting provided a space to take stock of the needs and priorities of Global South councils in the development of global and regional partnerships; the building of stronger networks; and enhancement of peer learning. The discussions also explored opportunities for stronger intra- and inter-regional connections, intentionally moving beyond a traditional North-South collaboration lens.

Across the engagements, a consistent message emerged—equitable research partnerships require trust, coordination and spaces where African and Global South councils can shape agendas together. Participants reflected on the importance of amplifying the collective voice of Global South councils, strengthening peer relationships, and ensuring greater visibility and participation within platforms such as the GRC.

The SGCI Funders Collaborative Breakfast, held on Monday, 18 May 2026, brought together African councils, funders and partners to reflect on the role of the Science Granting Councils Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa (SGCI) as a platform to strengthen African research funding systems and cultivate more coordinated partnerships with partners from the rest of the world.

Speaking at the breakfast, Dr Angus Paterson, Acting CEO of the NRF, noted “African councils are being asked to do more than fund research. They are expected to help shape national priorities, support regional collaboration, strengthen institutional systems and connect African research more effectively to global opportunities. They should not only be participants in global partnerships, but active contributors to how these partnerships are shaped.”

The SGCI Funders Collaborative is coordinated by Dr Nokuthula Mchunu, Manager: International Grants and Partnerships at the NRF, who reiterated the importance of this mechanism within SGCI-3, “The Collaborative provides a practical platform for greater engagement between African funders and partners in the rest of the world, while it supports better coordination across funding initiatives.”

Prof Anicia Peters, CEO of the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology in Namibia, and the incoming Chair of the SGCI Alliance, has also been integral to these discussions. Her contributions have focused on providing examples of the achievements of the SGCI over the last 11 years, while also cultivating a pathway for greater coordination and collaboration with partners from the rest of the world.

For the NRF, these engagements reflect its wider science diplomacy role—using platforms such as the GRC and SGCI to support African research funding systems, build strategic partnerships, and contribute to more inclusive global research cooperation. They also align with the NRF’s wider role in supporting African science granting councils and strengthening continental research cooperation through the well-established SGCI.

The Global Research Council is a global forum of heads of public research funding organisations. It provides a platform for research councils to discuss shared research and science policy issues, exchange approaches, and develop statements of principles on matters affecting research governance. The 2026 GRC Annual Meeting is co-hosted by Thailand Science Research and Innovation and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada in Bangkok, Thailand, from 18 to 22 May 2026.