President Jacob Zuma

The European Union (EU) has provided €30 million to SA’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) for the use of technology in poverty alleviation.

The funds will be provided over a six-year period to supplement the department’s own budget aimed at the same purpose. Speaking at the SA-EU summit in Belgium, president Jacob Zuma" rel=tag>Jacob Zuma said the South African science system makes an important contribution to global science and technology initiatives from particle physics to exploring Mars.

He added that SA is globally recognised for its ground-breaking efforts in using science and technology for the key challenges of food security, climate change, health, and poverty alleviation.

The funding support by the EU for Innovation for Poverty Alleviation is highly commendable, said the president.

“In this regard, the EU continues to be SA’s main development partner and we look forward to this continued partnership. The ongoing challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality that South Africa is dealing with, require such continued support from the EU.

“To further strengthen the bilateral partnership, we believe that we have to enhance trade relations, and tap further the potential that still exists to cooperate in infrastructure development, especially energy and transport.”

Zuma said other projects should focus on health and basic education infrastructure, ICTs and regional integration.