Germany Minister visits CSIR to strengthen health innovation ties with South Africa

Show Voice Options The Director-General of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), Dr Mlungisi Cele, and the CEO of the CSIR, Dr Thulani Dlamini, will lead discussions with the German delegation during Ms Reem Alabali-Radovan's official visit to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on 23 July 2025. Germany and South Africa have a strategic partnership to strengthen biomanufacturing skills and expand local vaccine production to address the health insecurity revealed by the Covid-19 pandemic. South Africa's Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Decadal Plan (2022-2032), which includes a focus on health innovation and the development of a sustainable pharmaceutical sector, is central to this partnership, as are key initiatives such as the CSIR's African Biomanufacturing Workforce Training and Skills Development Programme, which is designed to train 400 professionals in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) annually. Support from partners like BMZ (the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development), GIZ (the German agency for international cooperation), KfW (a development bank owned by the German government) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is crucial for advancing local health innovation and biomanufacturing, and to meet the African Union's goal for local vaccine production – that 60% of local needs be met locally by 2040. Dr Cele will share South Africa's vision for advancing local health technologies, fostering South-South partnerships and leveraging German cooperation to accelerate the continent's journey toward self-reliance in vaccine manufacturing. Opportunities for German-South African cooperation will be discussed. Representatives of South African startups, established companies, research institutions, and CSIR training programmes will be present to showcase the impressive breadth of expertise and teamwork in this vital sector. A tour of the CSIR's GMP training facilities is also planned, with representatives from Biovac, Afrigen, CapeBio, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority and graduates of DSTI-supported biomanufacturing programmes providing more information on their respective fields of action and the impact of supported interventions. Members of the media are invited as follows: Date: Wednesday, 23 July 2025 Time: 12:30 to 14:00 Venue: CSIR Pretoria Campus, Building 18B For enquiries and to RSVP, contact Zama Mthethwa at zama.mthethwa@dsti.gov.za or 082 808 3956.