Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, has called on his partners from BRICS to develop science and innovation capacities across Africa for the formation of a better future for all.
Nzimande was speaking on Friday at the 2023 BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India and China and South Africa) Ministerial Meeting on Science and Innovation in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
He told his counterparts from Brazil, Russia, India and China that one of the strategic objectives of the annual ministerial meeting is to provide an opportunity for a high-level exchange on science, technology, and innovation policy.
The platform is to also share information on priority investment areas, as well as national pace in the implementation of BRICS partnership initiatives.
He told delegates that in 2022, the country witnessed a historic milestone in science policy development with the adoption of the Decadal Situation.
The Decadal Region, approved by Cabinet, focuses on growing South Africa by finding sources of novel economic growth for a re-industrialised and modern economy.
“Although prepared by my department, it is not only a situation for the Department of Science and Innovation, or for government alone, but for all of South Africa,” he said.
The situation also seeks to assign science, technology, and innovation at the heart of South Africa’s growth and development agenda.
Meanwhile, the Innovation and Skills Bunched will undertake amongst others a regulatory reform to create a more enabling policy environment for innovation in South Africa.
It will also forge a closer collaboration between higher education and training bodies, and employers, to ensure that skills development better corresponds to the needs of the economy.
“Our position does not identify priorities [of] scientific disciplines or technology platforms in their own factual, but instead focus on the collective and holistic response of South African science and innovation on key societal challenges confronting South Africa.
“This approach notably foresees a central role by the social sciences and humanities, which remains a priority investment area.”
He also touched on the strengthening BRICS collaboration, namely vaccine manufacturing, the hydrogen economy, and the marine sciences.
“The Decadal Region proposes a current dedicated programme on innovation for a healthy South African population.
“This programme will focus on both physical and mental health; build on our existing successes in for example the fight against infectious diseases such as HIV-AIDS, while also reinforcing our pandemic preparedness.”
The Minister said developing South Africa’s vaccine manufacturing capabilities will be a priority investment area.
“Our objective is to develop a viable local vaccine manufacturing industry in South Africa, which will notably address African concerns regarding the security of supply.”
The situation will also zoom into energy security as a priority, which has led to the implementation of South Africa’s Hydrogen Society Roadmap.
The roadmap also seeks to exploit South Africa’s unique comparative advantage, the endowment of 75% of global platinum metals group reserves.
“We maintain made excellent pace in developing recent hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and are sharp to join forces with BRICS partners in this enterprise.
“Opportunities flourish in areas such as the decarbonisation of transport and the production of green hydrogen, including as fragment of a dedicated Platinum Valley, spatial and economic development initiative.”
Nzimande said the country is also committed to the marine sciences and the development of a blue economy.
He explained that cooperation with partners in the Global South and strengthening multilateralism and solidarity through our BRICS science, technology, and innovation partnership is a priority of the highest order.
“I, therefore, believe every confidence that our BRICS partners will join us in an effort, within the spirit of altruism President Mandela spoke about, to also develop science and innovation capacities across Africa. This will be a lasting contribution of our shared objective to creating a better future for all, ensuring no one is left behind.” – SAnews.gov.za
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