International AI cooperation with a focus on Africa

11.02.2026

The European Commission is launching a new call for proposals under the Horizon Europe program entitled HORIZON CL4 2027 04 DIGITAL EMERGING 06: "International cooperation in AI (IA)". The call is part of the Digital, Industry and Space Cluster of the 2026-2027 work programs and promotes international cooperation in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially with partners from low and middle income countries, including many African countries.

The call will be published on November 17, 2026 and is open for project applications until March 18, 2027. A total of €3 million in funding is available, which is expected to be divided between two projects of around €1.5 million each.

The aim of the funding project is to accelerate the development, application and scaling of AI solutions in innovation centers in Africa and other low-income regions. Projects funded include the development of prototypes, test and demonstration environments and the validation of AI systems in real operating conditions. The projects should contribute to strengthening local innovation ecosystems and address cross-sectoral challenges in areas such as education, health, agriculture and environmental protection.

The call is part of the Africa Initiative IV, a broader Horizon Europe strategy to intensify EU-Africa research and innovation cooperation, which provides around €605 million for joint activities in the current 2026-2027 work program.

Interested consortia from universities, research institutions, companies, NGOs and public bodies are invited to submit their applications by the deadline and thus contribute to the global, responsible development and dissemination of AI technologies.

Note: AI was used in part to prepare this news item.

Further information

Contact us:

Would you like general advice on funding in the field of production? Feel free to contact our funding experts in the cluster team!