Pretoria – October 05, 2026 -- The 8th RD20 Conference will convene in Pretoria, South Africa, from October 19-23, 2026, marking the first time the international clean energy research initiative has held its annual gathering on the African continent.

CSIR Hosts First African Edition With AIST of Japan as Co-Organizer

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) will host the event at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria, with Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) serving as co-organizer. RD20 (Research and Development 20 for Clean Energy Technologies) was launched in 2019 under Japanese leadership to coordinate R&D collaboration among research institutions from G20 countries toward carbon neutrality.

Conference Theme Targets Africa-Specific Energy Access and Critical Minerals

Under the theme "Accelerating Clean Energy Innovation: From Africa to the World,