Association to Horizon Europe grants access to the EU’s 93.5 billion euros science programme.
Egypt this week became the second African nation to join Horizon Europe, the EU’s multibillion-euro research and innovation programme.
The association grants Egyptian researchers, universities and innovators access to the scheme on terms akin to those enjoyed by EU member states. They may now lead projects, participate in cutting-edge research and benefit from support for national research reforms and institutional capacity-building.
Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission’s president, said: “People are at the core of the EU-Egypt partnership—supporting them to develop their talents, ideas, and skills. Egypt’s association to Horizon Europe will create opportunities for cutting-edge projects and innovations. These developments will be in vital research areas like water management, sustainable farming, and food security, bringing tangible benefits to our societies.”
The agreement was signed on October 22 at the EU–Egypt Summit in Brussels by Ekaterina Zaharieva, the EU commissioner for start-ups, research and innovation, and Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s foreign minister, in the presence of von der Leyen and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Egypt’s president. The milestone builds on longstanding co-operation between the two sides, providing a platform for strengthened partnership in tackling global challenges, from digital transformation to climate action. It also bolsters regional research and innovation collaboration.
The agreement extends Egypt’s participation in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), which focuses on water management, farming systems and food supply chains.
Egypt has long been a trusted partner in research and innovation with the EU, the Union for the Mediterranean and the African Union. This evolving partnership builds on the 2005 EU–Egypt Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement and Egypt’s participation in initiatives such as PRIMA. In April, the EU and Egypt concluded negotiations on Egypt’s association to Horizon Europe, reinforcing the country’s research and innovation capacities and strengthening its role in regional and international scientific collaboration.
With a budget of 93.5 billion euros for 2021-27, Horizon Europe is the EU’s principal funding programme for research and innovation. It tackles climate change, supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and bolsters the bloc’s competitiveness and growth. To date, 21 countries are associated to the programme, either through membership of the European Economic Area; as acceding, candidate or potential candidate countries; as European Neighbourhood Policy nations; or as other third countries and territories meeting criteria related to their economic, political and research systems.
Photo: Dreamstime.
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