NRF Participates in the Namibia-South Africa Joint Technical Workshop

The NRF, led by Dr Prudence Makhura, Executive Director: International Grants and Partnerships, formed part of a Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) delegation to Namibia to participate at the Namibia-South Africa Joint Technical Workshop that took place from 28-29 August 2024 in Swakopmund. The workshop was also attended by science, technology and innovation stakeholders in South Africa and Namibia including the National Integrated Cyberinfrastructure System (NICIS) and the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI). The purpose of the technical workshop was to facilitate bilateral discussions and identify mutual areas of cooperation, activities and partnership modalities. The meeting led to the development and signing of a three-year Plan of Action with specific joint STI projects for collaboration between the two countries.

The NRF used the opportunity to showcase Research Programmes jointly implemented by the Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation (MHETI) and the National Commission on Research Science and Technology – NCRST (from the Namibian side). This included highlights of achievements within the Science Granting Council Initiative (SGCI) and future plans. Several joint research programmes were successfully implemented between the NRF and the NCRST from 2010 to 2019, which resulted in 77 collaborative projects being supported with an approximate joint budget of R26 million in space science and remote sensing, information communication technology (ICT), indigenous knowledge system (IKS), biosciences and biotechnology, geoscience and mineral resources, energy and environmental sciences an mathematical sciences. An additional R1.6 million was leveraged from various sources including the private sector, international and philanthropic agencies. Main outputs from these joint projects included the training of undergraduate (from Namibian side) and postgraduate students, 77 peer-reviewed publications, 10 Book chapters, and 47 conference papers.  

The NRF will lead the joint research management programme theme in the newly signed Namibia-South Africa Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Plan of Action from 2025 to 2027 signed by the DSI and MHETI.

For further information on South Africa’s bilateral cooperation with Namibia please contact Lutanani Rambau on email: LA.Rambau@risa.nrf.ac.za.