Brussels, Belgium · 2024 — The European Union's Horizon Europe framework programme, through its Africa Initiative II, mobilised approximately €300 million in 2024 to strengthen research and innovation cooperation between Africa and Europe. The initiative, embedded within the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023–2024, comprised around 30 dedicated call topics designed to implement the short- and medium-term actions of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda — the ten-year policy framework adopted jointly by the African Union and European Union Commissions in July 2023.
The Africa Initiative II represents one of the most significant single-year commitments to cross-continental research collaboration, building on the foundations of Africa Initiative I and contributing to a partnership that the EU has designated a key geopolitical priority.
Four Priority Areas
The call topics under Africa Initiative II are aligned with the long-standing AU-EU joint priorities for research and innovation, which were formally announced during the first ministerial meeting of African Union and European Union research and innovation ministers in July 2020:
Public Health
Strengthening health systems and clinical trials, particularly through the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). This priority supports collaborative research on poverty-related and neglected infectious diseases, emerging health threats, and health system resilience — areas where African research institutions bring critical field expertise and European partners contribute advanced research infrastructure.
Green Transition
Focusing on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) and Climate Change and Sustainable Energy (CCSE). These two long-term, jointly funded research partnerships under the AU-EU High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) have been operational for several years and represent some of the most mature mechanisms for cross-continental research collaboration.
Innovation and Technology
Promoting digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and the translation of research outputs into tangible products, services, businesses, and jobs. This priority area directly supports the innovation agenda's goal of transforming research capacities into economic outcomes.
Capacities for Science
Developing human capital, advancing open science practices, and strengthening science-for-policy mechanisms. This includes support for researcher mobility, institutional capacity building, and the development of evidence-based policy frameworks.
The AU-EU Innovation Agenda Framework
The Africa Initiative II operates within the broader AU-EU Innovation Agenda, a ten-year framework (2023–2033) that serves as the mainstay of cooperation on science, technology, and innovation between Africa and Europe. The agenda was adopted on 19 July 2023 by both the AU and EU Commissions and is supported by the EU's Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package.
The agenda is structured around the same four priority areas and sets out short-, medium-, and long-term actions grouped according to these objectives. It is accompanied by a living roadmap that provides an overview of governance, coordination, and implementing initiatives — a document that is continuously updated as new programmes and partnerships emerge.
Implementation Mechanisms
The AU-EU Innovation Interface
A key implementation tool is the AU-EU Innovation Interface, an online platform established to provide information on initiatives and opportunities for innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and investors generated by the AU-EU Innovation Agenda. The Interface gives access to training schemes, including the AU-EU Deep Tech Transformation Training Scheme, and hosts reports from workshops undertaken in the context of the agenda.
Virtual Workshop Series
The implementation of the agenda foresees a series of biannual virtual workshops. The first, held on 28 November 2023, focused on Intellectual Property Rights — a critical topic for African innovators seeking to protect and commercialise their inventions. The second workshop, on 29 May 2024, addressed Access to Finance for Innovation, exploring funding mechanisms for African start-ups and research-based enterprises. A third workshop on Global Health Innovations was scheduled for 29 November 2024.
Open Access and Mobility Programmes
Beyond the dedicated Africa Initiative calls, African researchers and institutions remain eligible for most Horizon Europe calls under the programme's "open to the world" policy. The EU can fund participation of entities from low- and middle-income countries — a category that includes most African partner nations — in Horizon Europe collaborative research actions.
Additional mobility and capacity-building instruments include:
- European Research Council (ERC) grants: Available to researchers from African countries, with funding to establish research groups in Europe for selected candidates. Synergy grants allow groups of 2–4 Principal Investigators, potentially including one from outside the EU.
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA): Fellowships for post-doctoral researchers from African countries to spend up to two years in a European research group, or for European researchers to spend up to two years in African institutions. Also supports African participation in Doctoral Training Networks and Staff Exchange consortia.
- Euraxess Africa: Provides access to information and support services for researchers in African and Mediterranean countries seeking research careers in Europe or collaboration opportunities through Horizon Europe.
The First-Year Assessment
In April 2025, the European Commission published the first-year Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Report assessing the implementation of the AU-EU Innovation Agenda. The report, covering the period from the agenda's adoption in July 2023 through its first full year of operation, provides the initial evidence base for measuring progress against the framework's objectives.
Implications for African Research Systems
The scale and structure of the Africa Initiative II and the broader AU-EU Innovation Agenda have significant implications for African research institutions. The €300 million commitment provides substantial new resources for collaborative research, but accessing these funds requires institutional capacity to form and manage international consortia, navigate the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, and meet Horizon Europe's rigorous reporting and compliance requirements.
National Contact Points (NCPs) play a critical role in bridging this capacity gap, providing guidance, practical information, and assistance on all aspects of Horizon Europe participation. Strengthening NCP capacity in African countries — and ensuring that researchers are aware of and can access these support structures — is essential for maximising the impact of the Africa Initiative funding.
The initiative also reinforces the importance of the AU-EU High-Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation, which coordinates the long-term partnership and ensures that funding instruments remain aligned with the joint priorities of both continents. As the AU implements its STISA-2034 strategy and the EU continues to scale its Africa-focused research funding, the alignment between these frameworks will be critical for ensuring that cross-continental collaboration delivers tangible benefits for both African and European societies.
Sources
- European Commission, EU-Africa cooperation in research and innovation —
- European Commission, Africa Initiative II: Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023–2024 —
- European Commission, AU-EU Innovation Agenda, adopted 19 July 2023 —
- European Commission, Outcomes of the Africa Initiative II, Factsheet, 30 October 2025 —
- European Commission, The AU-EU Innovation Agenda: First Year Assessment, April 2025 —
- PLUMTRI, Africa Initiative II Calls —
FIRAT Editorial Board
Institutional Research Desk · Foresight Institute of Research and Translation
The collective editorial and research translation board of FIRAT, synthesising peer-reviewed evidence, policy briefs, and division milestones across our seven foundational research pillars.
