Minister Mangena and Commissioner Potocnik will deliver keynote addresses at the celebratory event to mark the 10^th anniversary of an intergovernmental agreement between South Africa and the European Union (EU).

Signed in 1996, the Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation affords SA researchers the opportunity to participate fully in the EU’s Framework Programmes for Research and Technology Development.

The partnership complemented the longstanding political, economic and development cooperation ties between the two parties.

The European South Africa Science and Technology Advancement Programme (ESASTAP) is a special initiative implemented by the South African Department of Science and Technology and jointly funded by the European Commission to support South Africa's participation in the framework programmes.

Through enhanced networking and partnering, enabled by ESASTAP, scientists from the European Union and South Africa jointly explore new and emerging scientific and technological areas and needs and cooperatively seek to resolve major global issues.  

These include climate change, energy and HIV and AIDS, with the European Developing Country Clinical Trial Partnership Programme (EDCTP) African office based in Cape Town at the Medical Research Council (MRC).

So far, South Africa’s researchers have participated in more than 200 Framework Programme projects, and in other EU related programmes.

Among other projects, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) represents South Africa in the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) project.

This project is aimed at demonstrating that solar disinfection (SODIS) of drinking water is an effective, appropriate and acceptable intervention against waterborne diseases. 

The project had been awarded R17.6 million research grant from the EU to benefit vulnerable communities in developing countries who normally do not have a reliable, safe water supply, as well as those communities exposed to natural or man-made disasters.

It is expected to make a contribution to reducing the number of fatal casualties, especially among sub-Sahara African children under the age of five, who fall victim to diarrhoeal diseases as a result of being exposed to contaminated water.

Minister Mangena will also hand certificates to the National Contact Points.

These are experts who at a technical level advance the science and technology relationship through advising and guiding the country’s research community to draw on the Framework Programme opportunities.