Preamble
We, the representatives of African Science Granting Councils, gathered in Windhoek, Namibia, under the Science Granting Councils Initiative in sub-Saharan Africa, together with the African Union Commission, AUDA-NEPAD, development partners, technical partners and other research and innovation actors;
Recalling the Accra Communiqué and our commitment to contribute to the implementation of the African Union Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2034 (STISA-2034);
Recognizing the transition towards greater African ownership and leadership in the third phase of SGCI, and the establishment of an Alliance capable of translating shared priorities into coordinated action;
Acknowledging the leadership of the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology of Namibia in convening the 2026 All Partners Forum;
Affirming that science granting councils are strategic institutions that set agendas, mobilize and coordinate investments, broker partnerships, strengthen research systems, and connect national action with regional, continental and global priorities;
Meeting at a pivotal moment, marked by changing geopolitics, uncertain international funding and the growing importance of science diplomacy;
We affirm our shared commitment to African leadership, sustainable STI financing and collective data and evidence generation and use for strategic actions.
Our Shared Understanding
Sustainable research and innovation systems depend on African institutions having the authority, capabilities, relationships and resources to lead.
African ownership requires councils to help define priorities, shape programmes, advise on development of policy instruments, influence investment decisions and participate in governance, rather than only implement externally designed initiatives.
We recognize that the STI financing landscape is fragmented. National, regional and international programmes frequently operate in isolation from one another and from African priorities and institutions. This fragmentation creates duplication, unequal access, data silos, parallel delivery structures, and missed opportunities for collaboration and co-investment.
Better information on funding flows can help address this fragmentation, but data is not an end in itself. It must support decisions, influence policy, strengthen coordination and enable councils to mobilize resources and negotiate partnerships from a position of greater knowledge and influence.
The SGCI Alliance provides a light, African-led mechanism through which councils can act collectively where doing so adds value, while respecting national mandates, priorities and contexts.
We Commit To
1. Lead with African priorities
We will strengthen the role of councils in translating national strategies and STISA-2034 into fundable, results-oriented research, innovation and impactful policy action.
2. Strengthen African institutions
We will reinforce the capabilities, systems and relationships required for councils to lead and sustain STI investments, while promoting meaningful participation across different national, institutional and linguistic contexts.
3. Expand and diversify STI financing
We will seek to mobilize and align domestic, regional and international resources for African research and innovation. We will pursue practical approaches to co-investment and complementary financing that strengthen national ownership of established African institutions.
4. Build equitable and durable partnerships
We will engage public, philanthropic, multilateral and other partners on the basis of shared agenda-setting, joint governance, mutual benefit, transparency and respect for national mandates.
We will promote partnerships in which African councils act as co-designers, co-investors and decision-makers, rather than recipients of externally defined programmes.
5. Improve coherence and turn evidence into action
We will improve coordination across relevant programmes, investments and financing instruments to reduce duplication, connect complementary efforts and improve access to opportunities.
We will strengthen the responsible use of funding information to support priority-setting, resource mobilization, policy dialogue, programme design and partnership development.
6. Advance council-led collective action
We will advance collaborative research programmes, policy initiatives, institutional capacity strengthening, shared learning and engagement with regional and global STI processes where collective action creates value.
We will translate these commitments into a focused, council-led workplan with clear responsibilities, expected results and mechanisms for review.
7. Responsible adoption and application of Frontier and Emerging Technologies
We will champion the harnessing of frontier and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence to advance science, technology and innovation across Africa, enabling transformative solutions, strengthening resilience, and positioning the continent as a global leader in knowledge-driven development.
8. Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS)
We will support the protection, preservation, and responsible utilization of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) to advance inclusive innovation and sustainable development.
We Call Upon
African governments
We call upon African governments to provide more predictable investment in research and innovation, strengthen the mandates and institutional capabilities of councils, and engage them as strategic partners in national and continental STI action.
The African Union and regional institutions
We call upon the African Union Commission, AUDA-NEPAD, regional economic communities and other African institutions to engage councils as implementation partners for STISA-2034 and to strengthen coherence across continental, regional and national STI initiatives.
International, philanthropic and multilateral partners
We call upon partners to engage African councils from the outset of priority-setting and programme design; align investments with national priorities and STISA-2034; support joint governance; and strengthen established African institutions rather than creating parallel mechanisms.
Researchers, the private sector and local communities
We call upon researchers, universities and research institutions, the private sector, innovators, civil society and local communities to work with councils in identifying priorities, co-creating solutions, translating knowledge into action, and ensuring that research and innovation respond to societal needs and deliver tangible public value.
Windhoek Declaration
From Windhoek, we affirm that African leadership, sustainable financing and collective action are essential to building resilient, inclusive and globally connected research and innovation systems.
Through the SGCI Alliance, we commit to moving:
- from fragmented efforts to greater coherence;
- from participation to shared leadership;
- from short-term projects to sustainable institutions; and
- from statements of intent to coordinated action.
Our success will be measured not only by the structures, platforms, and tools we create, but by the impact they deliver: stronger leadership by STI councils, greater access to resources and decision-making for African institutions, and investments that respond more effectively to Africa’s priorities and development needs.
Adopted in Windhoek, Namibia, on 1 October 2026.