The cooperation between the two unions aims at finding solutions to unprecedented crises with the intervention of Research and Innovation (R&I).
According to the director of Science, Technology and Innovation of The Gambian Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MoHERST), Mucktarr Darboe, the collaboration between the EU and AU is geared towards strengthening the already existing bond and also to joining hands in curbing the rise of COVID-19.
“Both unions have made financial pledges on research activities. In that sense, parties involved would be engaged in joint research programmes, joint clinical trials and other endeavours in order to develop a vaccine and have it tried,” he explains.
The EU President, Von der Leyen, underscored the significance and timeliness of the partnership, saying; “this global challenge needs strong international cooperation. We all know that only together we can stop the worldwide spread of the coronavirus”.
President Ramaphosa, the AU Chair, likewise, pointed out the health emergency as truly, “of global proportions” with developing countries being particularly vulnerable to its impact. “We require coordinated and consistent international action so that all countries are sufficiently capacitated,” he said.
As stipulated in the concept note, the overall objective of the ministerial meeting centres on engaging the ministers of both the African and European Unions in a policy discussion on short, medium, and long-term R&I activities addressing human health impacts and the far more reaching socio-economic effects of COVID-19. These were already clustered in four groups by senior officials on the 18th June 2020. They include: Public heath, Green transition, innovation & technology and capacities for science.
