Research Funding Agencies

      1. 1.  The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)

           The Indian Ocean Rim Ass ociation (IORA) is an international organisation consisting of 22 Member States, including Mauritius as one of its members since 1997. 

  2.        The objectivs of IORA are: 

  3.        a. to foster sustainable growth and balanced in the region and in the member States;

  4.        b. to concentrate on those areas of economic cooperation which provide maximum development opportunities, common interests and mutual benefits; and

  5.        c. to foster liberalization, to remove impediments and lower barriers to a free and better flow of goods, services, investment and technology.

       

       IORA is also a platform for researchers, scholars and practitioners to share research findings, including the priority research areas it is currently working on:

  1.       1. Maritime Safety and Security;
  2.       2. Trade and Investment Facilitation;
  3.       3. Fisheries Management;
  4.       4. Disaster and Risk Management;
  5.       5. Academic, Science and Technology Cooperation;
  6.       6. Tourism and Cultural Exchanges;
  7.       7. Women's Economic Empowerment; and
  8.       8. The Blue Economy.
  9.      
  10.       More information is available on https://www.iora.int

    1. 2​.  Square Kilometre Array (SKA) 

          The SKA is a major radio telescope project being implemented in the region and is conducted by a consortium of nine African countries, namely Botswana, Ghana,                       Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia. The SKA project is an international effort to build the world's largest                                         radio telescope, with a square kilometre (one million square metres) of collecting area.

           More information is available on https://www.skatelescope.org/

    ​​

  13. 3.  NEPAD SANBio

          The Southern Africa Network for Biosciences (SANBio) provides a shared biosciences research, development and innovation platform to address some of Southern                      Africa's essential health and nutrition challenges. SANBio was established in 2005 as one of five regional collaboration networks under the New Partnership                                  for Africa's Development, especially the African Biosciences Initiative (NEPAD-ABI), covering 12 SADC countries: Angola, Botswana, Eswatini,                                                  Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

          SANBio operates on a regional multi-country approach: All project efforts involve at least three countries since many development problems transcend borders. The                    SANBio Secretariat, which manages the day-to-day activities of the Network, is hosted at the SANBio Hub in Pretoria, South Africa.

          More information is available on this link: https://www.nepadsanbio.org/​


  15.     Other Research Funding Agencies :

  16.        1. Interreg Ocean Indien

  17.        2. Commonwealth Climate Finance Access

  18.        3. Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) - Funds regional projects in sustainability, climate change, and blue economy through programs like INTERREG and ENVERT.

  19.        4. Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) - Promotes collaborative research in marine resources, disaster management, and renewable energy across member states.  

  20.        5. African Union (AU) – African Academy of Sciences (AAS) - Offers grants for pan-African research, including projects in Indian Ocean Island states.  

  21.        6. European Union (EU) – Horizon Europe - Provides funding for international partnerships, including Indian Ocean Island researchers collaborating with EU                                   institutions.  

  22.        7. Agence Française de Développement (AFD) - Funds climate resilience, biodiversity, and infrastructure projects in French-speaking islands (e.g., Comoros,                                   Réunion).  

  23.        8. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – Indian Ocean Countries -  Supports sustainable development projects, including climate adaptation and                                 governance.   


  25.     Environmental and Climate-Focused Funding​  

  26.       1. Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) - Funds marine and coastal research in the Western Indian Ocean region.

  27.       2. Global Environment Facility (GEF) - Supports biodiversity conservation and climate resilience projects in small island states.

  28.       3. World Bank – Small Island States Resilience Initiative - Funds infrastructure, disaster risk management, and sustainable development.  ​


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