The African Union Commission, in partnership with members of the G20, has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting an open, fair, and inclusive global environment for scientific and technological development. The collaboration brings together the African Union, South Africa, Brazil, and China, and was formalized during the recent concluded G20 meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa. The partnership aims to advance an Initiative on International Cooperation in Open Science, in support of the implementation of UNESCO’s Recommendation on Open Science, and to strengthen multilateral cooperation in science, technology, and innovation for sustainable development.

Furthermore, the group members forged an action plan https://shorturl.at/moAB0 built on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, respect for diversity, universal access to knowledge, and open collaboration. The action plan outlines the path to advancing global governance in Open Science in support of multilateral partnerships. This will enable the sharing of best policy ideas and practices and facilitate closer collaboration among regional science, technology and innovation entities to support Open Science and building synergies.

A central goal of the cooperation launched by the four-member group is to promote the sharing and responsible use of biological and health data among countries of the Global South, guided by ethical standards for data access. Achieving this goal will require stronger global collaboration on Open Science data sharing, as well as the development of shared service platforms that allow researchers worldwide to benefit from open access.

The initiative seeks to jointly develop non-commercial scientific computing infrastructure and digital public services, alongside trusted data spaces, collaborative scientific data environments, and AI-enabled scientific applications. Together, these efforts are intended to support and accelerate the global transition to Open Science.

The initiative also addresses long-standing disparities in access to scientific information, particularly affecting countries in the Global South. By promoting the open circulation of high-quality scientific journals, the action plan seeks to establish inclusive, globally accessible publication infrastructures that connect researchers worldwide and accelerate knowledge sharing. It further emphasizes the importance of public awareness, capacity building, and the cultivation of an Open Science culture, in line with Africa’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy (STISA-2034). While technological advances create new opportunities, overcoming policy gaps, infrastructure challenges, and the digital divide will require stronger global governance to ensure Open Science can thrive.

For further information, please contact:
Adiatou Fatty | Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation | African Union Commission | Email: FattyAj@africanunion.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Mahlet Teshome | Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation | African Union Commission | Email: MahletKj@africanunion.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia