The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Dr Blade Nzimande on Wednesday welcomed thousands of science enthusiasts, representatives from more than 40 countries, governments officials, researchers and academics to fifth annual Science Forum South Africa.

"Our Southern African Development Community (SADC) is especially well represented with delegations of senior government officials from no less than 13 countries, together with the SADC Secretariat," Nzimande said addressing the guests in Pretoria.

"I would like to express a special word of welcome to the parliamentarians from SADC countries who are participating in a science and technology policy training programme with [United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation] UNESCO, presented together with the [Science] Forum."

He said South Africa believed the Science Forum was "a powerful instrument and platform for science diplomacy". 

He said Pretoria was therefore grateful for the support from the United Nations, especially UNESCO which had high-level representatives including Prof Michel Kazatchkine, who served as one of the UN Secretary-General’s special envoys for HIV-AIDS, and in 2018 received the Forums’ Science Diplomacy Awards for his role in the global fight against infectious diseases. 

"A rich and stimulating programme awaits us over the next three days [Wednesday until Friday], with close to 300 speakers and panellists from more than 40 countries will inform, provoke and hopefully inspire during more than 56 individual debates. Your most difficult task will undoubtedly be to choose which sessions to attend or rather which not to miss," he said.

"Science diplomacy will, of course, be high on the agenda, and many sessions will interrogate how international cooperation should best be promoted – ensuring truly equitable partnerships, from which developing countries derive real benefit."

For the first time, the conference has teamed up with Innovation Bridge -- a technology matchmaking and showcasing event.

Among the numerous exhibitors were embassies of Japan, Norway, Hungary, and Brazil. Several institutions of higher education and companies were showcasing their products and services.

The Forum was running under the theme "igniting conversations about science for innovation with impact".