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The DST is the national government authority responsible for science, technology and innovation policy in SA. The DST is championed with realisation of the National R&D Strategy. The DST includes among its key activities the development of strategic partners / collaborations within the international S&T community; the internationalising/branding of SA's S&T capabilities, and improving the quality and depth of information to support development and investment decision-making and driving improvements in the quality of S&T activities against the backdrop of internationally recognised benchmarks.
The Department is also responsible for overseeing and advancing SA's international science and technology cooperation. An important part of SA's international S&T cooperation portfolio is the country's relations with the EU, including participation in the EU's Framework Programmes, and several active bilateral relations with EU Member States or countries associated to the Framework Programmes. The DST has been responsible over the past decade, in partnership with the EC's Directorate-General Research for the coordination, monitoring and promotion of cooperation under the SA-EU Agreement - this has included SA participation in FP4, FP5, FP6 and FP7. The Department has also engaged in a regular S&T policy dialogue with the EC through the annual SA-EC JSTCC meetings.
In promoting SA participation in the Framework Programmes, the Department has over the past five years been overseeing and guiding the work of a comprehensive NCP Network it established. The work of the SA NCPs has been especially successful under FP6. The Department also implemented ESASTAP, a bilateral Specific Support Action, under the FP6, which contributed to SA's more than 120 FP6 participations. The DST also plays a leading role in efforts to promote regional S&T cooperation between the EU and Africa - and is therefore also actively contributing to the FP7 INCO-Net for Africa - CAAST-Net. The Department has since 2003 operated a fully-fledged S&T Representative Office in Brussels - incorporated as part of the SA Mission to the EU. The Representative Office is tasked with maintaining SA's strategic and high-level science and technology relations in Europe, including advancing SA's Framework Programme participation.
The DST's participation in AeroAfrica-EU and the respective activities to be conducted by the programme will ensure that the outcomes of AeroAfrica-EU's actions will be in alignment to national activities for international cooperation, and directly contribute to achieving the SA Government's goals.
DST will be responsible for WP4, but will also lead tasks in WP3, as well as play a supporting role in the other work packages.
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