The BMBF’s Africa Strategy centres around innovation, training and qualification, and practical application. In keeping with the motto “Creating prospects!”, the strategy is aimed at strengthening cooperation with African partners in those fields in particular that create, maintain and enhance the livelihoods of the local population in the long term. In this way, the BMBF-funded projects are supporting the African countries in responding to the major challenges facing the continent. These challenges include the increasing demand for food, climate change, progressive urbanization and the growing need for electricity and energy. Education, research and innovation are key to turning these challenges into opportunities.

The BMBF's Africa Strategy is based on the needs and priorities of our African partners while also promoting German interests. Addressing the great global issues of our time ultimately requires more international collaboration and networking – in science, academia and research in particular. Our cooperation activities are guided by what we have in common: German and African players in education, science and research were involved in drafting the strategy.

The Africa Strategy focuses on five action areas: knowledge transfer and innovation, higher education and junior researchers, employability of university graduates and practice orientation of vocational education and training, collaborative research to implement the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the exploitation of synergy potentials at national, European and international level.

The BMBF’s Africa Strategy creates a reliable framework for establishing and expanding contacts and cooperation with African partner institutions.