Minister Blade Nzimande on Tuesday announced a new programme to foster cooperation in science, technology and innovation between South Africa and war-torn Palestine.
The Minister was delivering the first Budget Vote of the Department of Science and Innovation under the seventh administration in Parliament, Cape Town.
He explained that the programme will also have a special focus support for safeguarding, rebuilding, and developing Palestine’s research and innovation capacities and infrastructure.
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According to Nzimande, the decision was made following a series of collaborations between the two nations.
These include a joint research project, seed funding for developing South African–Palestinian knowledge networks, the hosting of Palestinian scholars and students in South Africa in exchange programmes and sharing South African policy experience regarding science policy and system development.
The Minister stated that the programme aligns with the department’s strategic objective of using science diplomacy to foster human solidarity, and social justice, and support the country’s foreign policy.
“This new programme will be implemented by our entity the NRF [National Research Foundation] and will be funded from the department’s existing budget for international cooperation,” he told Members of Parliament.