Social science

The development in South Africa began with the end of Apartheid in 1994. The downfall of this system meant reintegration and growth of the country such as international business and science and technology cooperation. Through cooperation in politic, economic and development, South Africa and European

         Union have achieved to establish a solid association, meanly in the field of science and technology. South Africa is by its characteristics policies, economics, and geographic in an advantageous position to form an international cooperation. It´s important to mention South Africa has a little scientific base, but upscale. South Africa has various attractive factors associated its geographic advantages that allow a growth of activities associated to astronomy and paleontology.

Since the agreement in 1996 about scientific and technology cooperation the South African researchers have contributed to the Research Framework Programme of European Union. During the VI Framework Programme took place the launch of programs to the advance of science and technology in Europe and South Africa (ESASTAP) and it is a platform centered in the advance of the society between South Africa and European Union, funded by European Union within the VI Framework Programme and directed by Science and technology department of South Africa.

In the Framework of South African Union, the initiatives in science and technology began in 2003 with the first Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology in Johannesburg. At that meeting produced the Plan of Action on Science and Technology.

The science and technology cooperation outside of African continent has been reflected through bilateral agreements with South American countries.

          The main country, Argentina, in 2006 both countries signed an agreement to the scientific- technologic cooperation and in which is presented as area of cooperation: agriculture and livestock; information technology, manufacturing, mining and geology, health and social sciences and humanities.

South Africa is a country that has had considerable development after the end of Apartheid, but also has progressed still much like fighting poverty and inequality that still exists in this country.