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STATEMENT OF MINISTER OF ARTS, CULTURE, SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, DR BEN NGUBANE, IN RESPONSE TO EUROPEAN UNION'S DECISION TO ALLOCATE €50.7 MILLION FROM THE EDF TO SUPPORT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN ACP COUNTRIES
"We warmly welcome the European Union's (EU) decision through the European Commission to allocate €50.7 million from the European Development Fund (EDF) to support science and technology in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.
We would like to acknowledge the support from EU to enable ACP countries to build research and development capacity within their own countries, because crucial development-orientated research could not take place without this capacity.
While we understand that this is seed funding we hope that there will be a possibility of a much-expanded fund in future years. Although South Africa does not have a direct access to the fund because of our bilateral agreement with EU, nevertheless we are well placed to benefit from it as brokers, project managers and service providers.
Given that the European Commission has expressed interest in becoming a partner in the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) initiatives in science and technology, we hope that half of the funds will be available to Africa to support the NEPAD Science and Technology Plan of Action."
For more information please contact:
Nhlanhla Nyide
Chief Director: Communication
Department of Science and Technology
Tel: (+27 12) 337 8555
Fax: (+27 12) 337 8011
Cell: +2782 871 6767
Email: Nhlanhla.nyide@dst.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Science and Technology
10 December 2003