On September 6, 2024, the Global Open Science Cloud International Programme Office (GOSC IPO), jointly supported by CODATA, CNIC of CAS and other global partners, successfully hosted a workshop titled "Open Science Infrastructures: Advancing Science for Achieving the SDGs in Africa" at the 2024 International Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (FBAS). The hybrid workshop convened a diverse group of representatives from organizations such as the International Science Council (ISC), CODATA International Data Policy Committee (IDPC), Integrated Research on Disaster Risk (IRDR), African Open Science Platform (AOSP), and African Institute for Capacity Development (AICAD).

The workshop provided valuable insights into the critical role of open science infrastructures in promoting equitable scientific collaboration, advancing disaster risk reduction, and tackling pressing SDG challenges on the African continent. Discussions highlighted key obstacles to achieving SDGs, such as inadequate research e-infrastructures, limited funding and Initiatives, and the widening digital divide. The panel discussion underlined potential solutions such as developing robust policy and governance frameworks, enhancing capacity building and technology transfer, fostering trust-building collaborative mechanisms, and establishing integrated and transparent data-sharing models.

By integrating diverse perspectives from multiple sectors, the event strengthened cross-continental partnerships in open science and the SDGs, with a particular emphasis on the development and implementation of open science infrastructures in the African region. The insightful GOSC-African dialogue will continue to progress, with the upcoming 2024 IRDR conference focusing on actionable deliverables (Xueting Li, Lili Zhang). 

Onsite Venue