SAHTAC was invited to attend the Second SAMRC Sub-Saharan Africa Funders Forum. SAHTAC was represented by John Mdluli from the secretariate. The forum brought together Not-for-Profits, Philanthropies, Development Banks and government departments from around the continent and the globe. The meeting was held in Cape Town on 20 to 22 November 2022. The aim of the Forum was to promote collaboration between all stakeholder, to provide case studies of successful programs, as well as highlight areas for improvement. To ensure that, where possible, funders align their investments with national/regional priorities, including investments in infrastructure. To ensure there is consensus on funding mechanisms for research projects including the concept of Research Fairness. To explore how to best build research and innovation capacity across the Sub-Saharan African region.
The meeting, which focused on South Africa, was a major success with more than 35 delegates representing over 40 active funding organisations from a wide variety of countries present. There was overwhelming support for a follow up Funders Forum with a broader focus on SADC countries. Feedback from 90% of the delegates indicated preference for a meeting organized around funding themes, more time to network, and increased focus on identifying concrete opportunities requiring funding support.
