AUDA-NEPAD and the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI)

The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) plays a key role in translating African Union priorities into practical programmes, partnerships and investments across the continent. Working closely with the African Union Commission (AUC), Member States, and strategic partners, AUDA-NEPAD supports the implementation of continental frameworks that generate impact at national, regional and continental levels.AUDA-NEPAD and the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) share a common commitment to strengthening Africa’s science, technology and innovation (STI) ecosystem as a driver of socio-economic transformation. AUDA-NEPAD provides continental leadership through policy coordination, capacity strengthening, partnership development and technical support, while SGCI works through national Science Granting Councils to strengthen research funding systems, support innovation, promote evidence-informed policymaking and enhance the impact of research. These complementary roles provide a strong foundation for partnership, helping to translate continental priorities into action through strong national institutions.

Reflecting this shared commitment, in 2025, SGCI expanded its annual partners meeting to include AUDA-NEPAD and the African Union Commission (AUC). The resulting 2025 All Partners Forum and STISA 2034 Advocacy Meeting, held in Accra, Ghana, brought together Science Granting Councils, continental institutions and development partners to strengthen collaboration around Africa’s STI agenda and the implementation of STISA 2034.

At the conclusion of the meeting, representatives of the 20 participating Science Granting Councils adopted the Accra Communiqué, reaffirming their commitment to supporting the implementation of STISA 2034. The communiqué recognised the central role of Science Granting Councils in strengthening national STI systems and called for increased investment in research and innovation, stronger partnerships, and policy alignment.

Today, STISA 2034, the African Union’s ten-year strategy for harnessing science, technology and innovation to drive Africa’s transformation, is a central area of collaboration between AUDA-NEPAD and SGCI. As the agency coordinating the implementation of STISA 2034, AUDA-NEPAD works closely with SGCI and its member councils to advance the strategy’s priorities across the continent. Through research funding, capacity strengthening, policy engagement and regional collaboration, SGCI helps translate STISA 2034’s objectives into practical action at national and regional levels, contributing to a more innovative, resilient and prosperous Africa.