The Bulgarian Embassy in Pretoria in collaboration with the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science and the Department of Science and Innovation of the Republic South Africa initiated a Panel Discussion on the topic of “Bulgaria-South Africa Perspectives for Research and Innovation Cooperation”, which took place in Pretoria on the 3rd of December within the framework of the Science Forum of South Africa (SFSA 2024) – the most prestigious event in the sphere of science and technologies in the RSA and in the Southern African region. The Bulgarian delegation, which took part in the discussion, comprised the following scientists: 

Professor Dobri Yarkov, Rector of Trakia University, Stara Zagora;
Professor Darina Zaimova, Vice-Rector of Trakia University, Stara Zagora;
Professor Dimo Atanasov, Vice-Rector of Agricultural University, Plovdiv;
Associate Professor Dr Nikola Konstantinov, Institute for Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Technology (INSAIT);
Associate Professor Dr Lyuba Slavcheva-Mihova, Institute of Astronomy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. 

The discussion focused on the prospects for expanding the cooperation between Bulgaria and South Africa along the lines of sustainable agriculture, astronomy, computer sciences and artificial intelligence. Prominent South African specialists in the three fields from the Department of Science and Innovation, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and other science centres and academic units in the RSA took part in the discussions together with the members of the Bulgarian delegation. In her address to the guests Ambassador Maria Tzotzorkova highlighted the traditions and capacities of Bulgaria in the fields of science and education, as a prerequisite for a successful cooperation with partners from South Africa and the region. She emphasized the fact that Bulgaria participates for the first time with an event in the Scientific Forum of South Africa, which is an indication for a growing interest in achieving synergy and identifying concrete projects for partnership in the priority fields. Ambassador Tzotzorkova expressed the willingness of the Embassy to help creating favourable conditions for strengthening the bilateral scientific and educational exchange. Opportunities for deepening the relations between the Bulgarian and South African Universities, as well as with higher education institutions from Namibia and Botswana were discussed as well. Representatives of the management of the University of Limpopo, University of Namibia, Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Tshwane University of Technology participated in the talks. 

The public discussion aroused widespread interest and attracted attendees from the scientific and educational circles, from the competent institutions, the Diplomatic Corps and the Bulgarian community in South Africa. 

In parallel with its participation in the forum, the Bulgarian delegation visited key sites of the scientific infrastructure of South Africa, among which the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO), The Center for Cybersecurity and High-performance  Computers and the bio-laboratory TokaBio. The project was implemented within the framework of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Public, Digital and Cultural Diplomacy Program for 2024.