Bavaria and Africa strengthen research collaboration at “Cooperation lounge” event in Munich
The Bavarian Research Alliance (BayFOR) organised the “Cooperation Lounge Africa – Bavaria: Rethinking Collaboration in Research & Innovation”, drawing more than 100 participants from politics, economy, and science to Munich. The event aimed to enhance cooperation between Africa and Bavaria in various fields.
In her welcome address, Constanze Maier, Deputy Head of Unit International Relations, Development Cooperation, Africa and Middle East (excluding Israel) at the Bavarian State Chancellery, emphasised the importance of equitable collaboration between Africa and the State of Bavaria for fostering long-term partnerships. She highlighted the need for sustained relationships to address structural issues in collaborations, regardless of their nature.
A highlight of the event was the panel discussion titled “From theory to practice: How to implement equitable and successful projects with African and Bavarian partners in R&I?” Dr. Emmanuel Benjamin, affiliated with the University of the Bundeswehr Munich and Aglobe Development Center (ADC) in Lagos, Nigeria, emphasised the need for eye-level communication. He highlighted the practical challenges of collaborating with African partners, such as unstable electricity and internet connections, and stressed the need to acknowledge differing working conditions between Europe and Africa.
Key issues identified during the event included visa challenges for African partners and funding asymmetries in research collaborations. Dr. Benjamin cited an innovative example from Egypt, where diplomatic passports are issued to scientists to alleviate visa issues. However, he noted that this approach only addresses symptoms, not the root causes of these political problems.
During the event, Dr. Emmanuel presented the FrontAg Nexus and INCiTiS-FOOD projects, showcasing their objectives and goals. He effectively highlighted how these initiatives are aligned with broader research management strategies and are important in fostering sustainable collaborations across global networks.
Structural issues are also evident in European research funding agencies, where funding regulations often create agency asymmetries between Africa and Europe. For instance, some research calls explicitly seek African partners but do not provide funding for their contributions.
The Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaborations (ACTRC) was discussed as a framework for rebalancing global science and addressing funding imbalances. The Charter seeks policy and regulatory changes among funders, proposing concrete actions such as revising criteria used by publishers and research assessment bodies to determine research quality and impact, and adjusting conditions imposed by funders on research calls.
For more information on the ACTRC, please refer to the following links:
- Charter in English
- Charter in French
- Charter in Portuguese
The event underscored the commitment of both African and Bavarian stakeholders to enhance research and innovation partnerships, aiming for impactful and sustainable development outcomes.
About Bavaria-Africa Scientific Coordination Office:
The Bavarian state government launched the Bavaria-Africa Scientific Coordination Office (WKS) as part of its Africa strategy, situated within BayFOR. This initiative aims to intensify cooperation with Africa by developing long-term partnerships that support sustainable development and stronger autonomy for African countries.
As part of its goal to intensify cooperation with Africa, the Bavarian state government opened the Bavarian Africa Office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2019. This initiative aims to develop long-term partnerships throughout Africa to support African countries in their efforts toward sustainable development and stronger autonomy.
About FrontAg Nexus
Initiated in May 2023, FrontAg Nexus, supported by the EU’s PRIMA program, tackles climate change and food insecurity in the Mediterranean. This innovative project employs climate-smart and water-saving technologies like hydroponics, aquaponics, insect farming, vermiculture, and agrophotovoltaic aiming for sustainable food production in areas such as Israel, Italy, and Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, and Türkiye. Led by Prof. Gertrud Buchenrieder, from UniBw M, it’s a leap towards ecological balance, improved living standards, and robust, year-round food sources.
To learn more about the FrontAg Nexus project and stay up to date, visit https://frontagnexus.eu and follow us on social media:
Stay tuned as we continue to push the boundaries of sustainable agriculture and foster innovation for a greener, more resilient future.
Disclaimer
This publication reflects the views of the author only. The European Commission and PRIMA Foundation cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
This project (GA n° [2242]) is part of the PRIMA programme supported by the European Union.
FrontAg Nexus at a glance
Instrument: PRIMA, the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area
Total costs: € 3.206.895,00
Duration: 3 years, 1/5/2023 – 30/4/2026
Consortium: A total of 10 partners from 8 countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, Israel, Jordan, Morocco,Tunisia, Türkiye)
FrontAg Nexus Homepage by PRIMA: https://qap.mel.cgiar.org/projects/1828
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