Notice

Memorandum of Understanding between the government of the Republic of South Africa and the government of the United Kingdom on cooperation in science, technology, research and innovation

Published 23 November 2022

The Governments of the Republic of South Africa and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Participants’:

RECALLING the previous Memorandum of Understanding on Scientific cooperation signed by the participants in 1995;

RECOGNISING that the Participants are committed to broadening the scope of Research and Innovation collaboration through the creation of a productive partnership for peaceful purposes and mutual benefit;

DESIRING to promote further the close and cordial relations existing between their two countries, and being aware of the rapid expansion of scientific knowledge and of its positive contribution in promoting bilateral and multilateral international co-operation;

ACKNOWLEDGING the commitment at the UK/South Africa Bilateral Forum in May 2021 to strengthen cooperation in the fields of Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation and the importance of working together internationally, building on engagement in the G20 and other multilateral forums to progress shared objectives;

RESOLVED TO strengthen bilateral cooperation between the Participants, promoting joint initiatives within the fields of Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation and encouraging the cooperation of other public entities, academia and private partners in both countries;

Have reached the following understanding:

1. Objective

To strengthen collaboration, both bilaterally and internationally, between the Participants and more broadly between the United Kingdom and South Africa on issues of common interest in the fields of Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation.

2. Scope

The Participants designate the following as the designated leads for the implementation of this Memorandum of Understanding:

a. In the case of the Republic of South Africa: the Department of Science and Innovation; and

b. In the case of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: the British High Commission to South Africa, representing all UK ministries including the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

3. Areas of Cooperation

Areas of Cooperation under this Memorandum of Understanding may be bilateral or multilateral and may include, but not be limited to, the following types of activity in the areas of science, technology, research, and innovation and will be approved as mutual priorities coordinated or joint initiatives, programmes or projects:

• meetings, workshops, conferences or symposia;
• exchange of information and documentation;
• visits and delegations;
• researcher mobility and training programmes;
• collaborative research and innovation projects;
• strategy and coordination meetings.

Implementation will be directed by a Joint Committee (see Governance).

The participants understand that initiatives under this Memorandum of Understanding including the annexes can be developed and carried out by the various partners and institutions forming part of the science and innovation system in South Africa and the United Kingdom, as per the direction of the Joint Committee.

4. Governance

To oversee, coordinate and monitor progress on the above areas of co-operation, and determine public communications on any issue, the Participants will remain committed to a Joint Committee co-chaired by senior representatives from the United Kingdom’s Department of Business Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, and South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation. The Committee will meet every two years.

5. Financial Considerations

The implementation of cooperation actions under this Memorandum of Understanding will be subject to the availability of financial and human resources by each Participant.

6. Participation of Other Institutions

The designated departments may invite other public and private institutions to participate in activities of cooperation under this Memorandum of Understanding if deemed necessary by joint decision.

7. Nature of the instrument

This Memorandum of Understanding serves only as a record of the Participants’ intentions to carry out collaborative activities in accordance with the understandings herein, and does not constitute or create, and is not intended to constitute or create, obligations under domestic or international law and will not give rise to any legal process and will not be deemed to constitute or create any legally binding or enforceable obligations express or implied.

The cooperation mechanisms, projects and activities to be developed or implemented within the framework of this document will be laid down by separate instruments to be negotiated by the Participants when deemed appropriate.

This Memorandum of Understanding shall not affect the rights and obligations resulting from international treaties or conventions to which the Participants are parties.

8. Information Protection

The Participants do not intend to exchange, under this Memorandum of Understanding, confidential information, materials and/or equipment or information that is subject to any other restriction that prevents its disclosure.

Each Participant will endeavour to protect and maintain the integrity of any information communicated to it under this Memorandum of Understanding, subject to overriding statutory or other legal obligations.

The Participants acknowledge that each may be required to disclose information under national legislation governing access to information.

9. Intellectual Property

a. Science and technological information of a non-proprietary nature arising from the cooperative activities under this Memorandum of Understanding may be made available to the public by either Participant through customary channels and in accordance with the normal procedure of the participating agencies;

b. The Participants will give due consideration to the protection and the distribution of intellectual property rights or other rights of a proprietary nature resulting from the cooperative activities under this Memorandum of Understanding and will consult with each other for this purpose as necessary;

c. The protection of the relevant intellectual property rights will be regulated in the implementing arrangements, and comply with the domestic laws of the respective countries.

10. Consultation

Participants may consult each other at any time to address any matter related to the interpretation or implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding.

11. General Provisions

This Memorandum of Understanding will come into operation upon signature and will continue in operation until terminated by either Participant giving three months’ written notice to the other.

The termination of this Memorandum of Understanding will not affect any ongoing projects and initiatives agreed upon during its life, unless otherwise decided upon by the Participants.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto by their respective Governments, have signed and sealed this MoU in duplicate in the English language.

The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

The Government of the Republic of South Africa

Annex A - Themes for cooperation

Research and innovation cooperation is to be encouraged across all areas, with a focus on poverty alleviation and economic growth and resilience. Themes with a particular focus are, but not limited to:

1. Cooperation in science and technology. This may include but is not limited to life sciences, biodiversity, marine sciences, food security, energy and cleantech, climate, artificial intelligence, data, space and astronomy, and quantum.

2. Commercialisation through innovation. Linking our respective innovation ecosystems to support the commercialisation and adoption of emerging and transformative technologies and working to encourage stronger international collaboration for business-led research and development – including within the start-up and spin-out sector.

3. Science and innovation policy and diplomacy. Exchanging views and experiences over issues such as international standards, governance and regulation of new technologies, shared societal challenges such as climate change including long-term global energy security, international research infrastructures and their networks, and successful measures and programmes to foster innovation.

Annex B – Priorities

Cooperation between the Participants will include but not be limited to:

a. Square Kilometre Array: continued bilateral collaboration in radio astronomy and big data science, crucial for the success of the global project;

b. Energy Innovation: collaboration in energy research and innovation, specifically the hydrogen economy, finding innovative solutions to our mutual energy challenge;

c. Health research: continued co-operation between our Medical Research Councils, leveraging public-private partnerships with industry and philanthropy, building on our international response to the Covid pandemic and sustaining the momentum responding to pandemic, infectious and non-communicable diseases;

d. Ocean Economy: further collaboration in the development of the blue economy aiding economic recovery and reconstruction through research and knowledge sharing;

e. Agritech: developing technologies to improve food and nutrition security, for land and ocean-based systems, to increase yields and mitigate impacts of climate change;

f. Higher Education: develop opportunities for researcher training and international mobility to the mutual benefit of the UK and SA, building academic capability and capacity;

g. Climate Change: Collaboration, sharing knowledge and experiences to strengthen the development of a sustainable, low carbon and climate resilient economy which supports the goals of the Paris Agreement and COP26;

h. Coordination between the Participants in respect of international norms and fora relating to science, technology, research and innovation.