Strategy for Africa

Johanna Wanka, Germany’s Federal Minister of Education, spoke of a “paradigm shift” when she presented her ministry’s new strategy for Africa in June 2014 
together with Martial De-Paul Ikounga, African Union Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology. Germany and the African continent have been cooperating successfully for 30 years. But now the cooperation is being elev­ated to a new level. The aim in the future is to conduct research in a spirit of partnership and for mutual benefit. The new orientation differs “gratifyingly from the previous practice of international bodies and donor countries, which was to develop and support their own programmes that were not always in line with Africa’s collective conception of peace, prosperity and integration,” said Martial De-Paul Ikounga. In particular, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is supporting the establishment of strong centres of science and research in African countries, the development of talent and the promotion of dialogue between research and industry. Key topics include the environment, health and resource management. ▪