South Africa is hosting the final sitting of the G20 Chief Science Advisers’ Roundtable (CSAR) of its Presidency, bringing together leading science advisers from G20 member states, guest countries, and international organisations.
Convened by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) in partnership with the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI), the Roundtable is a high-level forum for scientific cooperation on pressing global challenges such as climate change, inequality, and the slow pace of progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Pretoria meeting follows a technical session held in April, as well as a series of consultations in July, August and early September, which produced a draft Outcome Statement now being finalised.
Hosted under the theme “Equity-based science, technology and innovation for inclusive human development and global sustainability”, CSAR 2025 highlights South Africa’s commitment to inclusive, knowledge-driven development.
Over two sessions, the Roundtable will see closed deliberations among science advisers on endorsing the Outcome Statement, as well as an open knowledge-sharing platform at the CSIR International Convention Centre, with participation from universities, research councils and science advisory institutions such as the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA).
The event is being held alongside the G20 Research and Innovation Working Group (21–22 September) and the G20 Research and Innovation Ministerial Meeting (23 September).
Officials say the Roundtable provides South Africa with a strategic opportunity to influence the global science, technology, and innovation agenda while strengthening advisory and capacity-building systems across Africa and the developing world.
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