May (2009)

Contents

29 May 2009 - INTERLINK International Workshop

"A Dialogue between Europe, Africa and EECA on Networking and Cooperation" will take place in Vienna on 16 September 2009. The international workshop, in the frame of FP6 project INTERLINK, aims to disseminate the project results, and to facilitate networking with R&D and development cooperation players from Member States, Associated Candidate Countries, African and EECA Countries with a focus on water management and sanitation. For more information click here.

27 May 2009 - European Development Coooperation to 2020?

"Fighting the Global Recession's Storm: Implications for European Development Co-operation" is title of a policy forum being held in Brussels today. The purpose of the forum is to analyse issues pertaining to the global economic crisis and Europe's relation to and assistance of developing countries. For more information visit the website of European Development Coooperation to 2020 - click here.

26 May 2009 - UNESCO-L'Oreal Fellowships

In conjunction with L'Oreal, UNESCO is financing 15 fellowships for the promotion of young women to carry out research in the life sciences. An allocation of US$ 600 000.00 divided into 15 fellowships of US$ 40 000.00 each over a period of two years is available for selected applicants who meet the fellowship requirements. Fields include: biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, agriculture, medicine, and physiology. For more information click here.

25 May 2009 - UN Secretary General Sends Africa Day Message

To read the official message from the UN Secretary General on Africa Day (25 May), Ban Ki-Moon click here. Africa Day marks the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union, in 1963 in Ethiopia. 2002 marked the transition from the OAU to the AU. According to Europeafrica.net, "This year's Africa day theme is: 'Unity, Peace and Prosperity in Africa', according to the first strategic pillar of the African Union Commission 'Peace and Safety', which is one of the Strategic planning pillars for 2009 - 2012." To link to the African Union click here.

19 May 2009 - Stakeholder Meeting of EDCTP in Lisbon

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that in 2008, about 33 million people were living with HIV. This burden is on the increase, mainly due to the association of HIV/AIDS with Tuberculosis (TB). There are 9 million new cases of TB each year. Among these 1 million also have HIV and half of them die from both diseases. In view of this, EDCTP plans to launch a call to support clinical trials that will lead to the development of a more optimised treatment for HIV/AIDS and HIV-TB and other co-infections.

The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) - www.edctp.org - was created in 2003 and aims to accelerate the development of new or improved drugs, vaccines and microbicides against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, with a focus on phase II and III clinical trials in sub-Saharan Africa. EDCTP supports multicentre projects which combine clinical trials, capacity building and networking.

EDCTP has a strategy for its calls and grants that focuses on a product-based approach. In order to realise this strategy EDCTP holds stakeholder meetings in preparation of the launch of its calls, to define the research gaps, needs, funding mechanisms and ways of accelerating the required research and development. The last stakeholder meeting on the topic "HIV/ TB co-infection " was held in Lisbon on the 19th of May, hosted by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT).

Participants included funders and experts from EDCTP Member States as well as third parties, product developers, representatives of African partner institutions and experts in the field. Author: EDCTP.

Links
EDCTP

19 May 2009 - CAAST-Net Energy Workshop in Senegal

The recent energy workshop hosted by CAAST-Net Work Package 4 was held in Dakar, Senegal and was jointly organised by the French Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement and Senegalese Ministère des Biocarburants, des Energies Renouvelables et de la Recherche Scientifique. The event, aimed at identifying areas of mutual interest in the field of energy research, was featured widely by local news agencies.

Links
Agence de Presse Sénégalaise
Le Soleil
SUD Online

15 May 2009 - CAAST-Net FP7 Information Day in Cape Verde

CAAST-Net Work Package 5 is organising an FP7 Information Day in Cape Verde, which will aim to foster both the sharing and discussion of general information about FP7, opportunities under FP7, and the best conditions for successful participation by African entities in FP7. The event will provide specific relevant information about schemes within FP7 with special interest for African researchers and institutions, and may interest either researchers, decision-makers at research units or representatives of national authorities aiming at implementing or reinforcing the promotion of National Information Points for FP7. For more information contact José Bonfim.

15 May 2009 - SARIMA Annual Conference 2009

Research and Innovation Management for Africa's Development is the title of the SARIMA Annual Conference 2009 to take place on 19 and 20 May 2009 in Pretoria, South Africa. SARIMA is the acronym for the Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association. The conference's two parallel workshops will focus on "the major issues, challenges and strategies to empower and sustain research on the continent". For more information click here.

12 May 2009 - African Development Bank Hosts 2009 Annual Meeting

The 2009 Annual Meeting of the African Development Bank begins tomorrow in Dakar, Senegal. The meeting's title is "Africa and the Financial Crisis: An Agenda for Action". For more information click here.

12 May 2009 - New Science Minister for South Africa

South Africa's new president, Jacob Zuma, has appointed formed Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor, as the new Minister of Science and Technology. Pandor replaces the outgoing minister, Mosibudi Mangena, and will be supported by Deputy Minister Derek Hanekom, who also served under Mangena.

6 May 2009 - Research Connection 2009

"Networking our way to a research future" is the slogan for the Research Connection 2009 meeting to be held in Prague on 7 and 8 May 2009. The meeting aims to bring together entrepreneurs, researchers, industrialists and other interested stakeholders to explore opportunities for collaboration, networking and information sharing. The meeting is sponsored by the European Commission. Sessions will be streamed live via the web. Dr. Andrew Cherry, CAAST-Net's coordinator, will be delivering a presentation at the meeting. For more information go to the Research Connection 2009 website - click here or e-mail the organisers.

5 May 2009 - Wanted: SME National Contact Point for South Africa

South Africa's Department of Science and Technology (DST) is seeking applications for an expert to fill the role of National Contact Point (NCP) for the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) in the field of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME). The deadline for submission of applications is 22 May 2009. Visit the ESASTAP website for further information.