On Wednesday, 23 July 2025, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) welcomes Honourable Minister Reem Alabali Radovan of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development to highlight Germany’s cooperation with South Africa in the area of local manufacturing of vaccines and health technologies.

During her visit, Minister Alabali-Radovan will be taken on a comprehensive tour of the CSIR Biomanufacturing Facility. The visit will highlight initiatives supported by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and KfW aimed at strengthening Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) training for employees in the pharmaceutical and biomedical sectors. It will also underscore South Africa’s strategic role in contributing to the African Union’s 2040 vaccine manufacturing targets. Participants will gain insights into the impact of German-supported training and equipment, which benefit the CSIR and other organisations across the health technology value chain—from research and innovation to manufacturing and regulatory compliance.

The visit stems from a partnership formed in 2024 between the CSIR and GIZ under the SAVax programme, which focuses on human capacity development in GMP biomanufacturing in South Africa. This project is closely aligned with the African Biomanufacturing Workforce Training and Skills Development programme, launched in 2023 with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The CSIR plays a critical role in strengthening the African region by providing training to manufacturers, scientists and other key stakeholders in the developing and scaling biomanufacturing processes and products. The project supports the diversification of biomanufacturing technologies and skilled personnel, with the ultimate goal of increasing the availability of affordable vaccines for low- and medium-income countries.

Members of the media are invited as follows:

Date: Wednesday, 23 July 2025
Time: 12:30 – 14:00
Venue: CSIR Pretoria Campus, Building 18b

For enquiries and RSVP contact:

Phetolo Phatsibi, Media Practitioner
Email: PPhatsibi@csir.co.za
Contact: 081 396 8871

About the CSIR:

The CSIR, an entity of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, is one of Africa’s leading organisations in scientific and technology research, development and implementation. Constituted by an Act of Parliament in 1945 as a science council, the CSIR undertakes directed and multidisciplinary research and technological innovation, as well as industrial and scientific development, to improve the quality of life of all South Africans.

This year, the CSIR celebrates 80 years of touching lives through innovation. For more information, visit www.csir.co.za

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