Pretoria: Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Blade Nzimande, is set to lead a distinguished South African delegation on a significant science, technology, and innovation visit to Tunisia and Algeria from 14 to 17 July 2025. These visits are in response to invitations from the Tunisian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Mondher Belaid, and the Algerian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Kamel Bidari.

According to African Press Organization, Minister Nzimande's tour aims to enhance the existing STI bilateral cooperation between South Africa and the host countries. This initiative is part of a broader effort to increase the scale and intensity of intra-African STI cooperation for development. A notable feature of the visit to Algeria will be a guest lecture on Pan-African cooperation, organized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific cooperation.

Minister Nzimande emphasized the significance of these visits, stating that they are integral to South Africa's international relations strategy, which seeks to strengthen meaningful STI cooperation with African nations. The visits align with the African Union's Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA), focusing on developing a sovereign STI agenda for Africa amid a challenging geopolitical environment.

The visits will culminate in the adoption of two comprehensive Plans of Action by the DSTI and counterpart Ministries, aimed at enhancing cooperation with Tunisia and Algeria. This initiative represents a concrete implementation of South Africa's science diplomacy ambitions, outlined in Minister Nzimande's recent Budget Vote speech.

The delegation accompanying Minister Nzimande includes senior officials from the Ministry, the Department, and entities such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), and experts from the Council for Mineral Technology (Mintek).