Sustainable Energy (SE) development is crucial for Africa and Europe’s green energy transition, enabling them to tackle the global challenge of climate change. Providing reliable and clean energy access to millions of people worldwide is necessary. To this end, the Long-Term Joint EU-AU Research and Innovation Partnership on Sustainable Energy (LEAP-SE) program, co-funded by the European Commission (EC) under Horizon Europe, aims to develop a long-term partnership between Europe and Africa in Research and Innovation (R&I) on sustainable energy. This partnership is set within the framework of the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy (CCSE) partnership of the AU-EU High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on Science, Technology and Innovation.
LEAP-SE is a six-year program conducted by a consortium of about 26 partners from European and African countries. The program’s budget is around €33 million, including €10 million from the EC. This partnership is built upon the successes of previous programs, including the LEAP-RE program.
LEAP-SE consortium members are launching in 2026 the second edition of a transnational joint Call for proposals co-funded by European and African national/regional research funding agencies (members of LEAP-SE consortium), with additional EC contribution, following the first call launched in 2025. The selected projects will focus on achieving goals of mutual benefit based on a balanced and cooperative approach. Particular attention will be given to strengthening the impact of R&I-supported activities for the well-being of society in Europe and Africa.
The total indicative budget for this 2026 call is approximately €13 million, provided by funding organisations, plus €3.5 million from the EC’s contribution.
Each project consortium that applies for funding must consist of at least two independent legal entities from two different European Union Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries, and another two independent legal entities from two countries in the African Union.
Each consortium must include at least one partner from the institutional research sector (e.g., academic, public research centre, non-profit organisation) and one partner from a commercial company, both of which must be from participating countries.
Detailed eligibility criteria are available in section 7 of the Call text.
The range of activities recommended for collaboration under LEAP-SE will focus on seven identified multi-annual roadmaps presented in the Call, and also on the LEAP-RE thematic priorities:
The LEAP-SE Joint Call 2026 will fund basic research, applied research, and experimental development projects that are 12-36 months in duration. However, applicants should be aware that each funding agency participating in the Call will apply its own rules and regulations regarding eligibility and criteria (nationality, thematic, nature of project, TRL, rate of subsidy, etc.).
| November 19th 2025 | Publication of the Call |
| February 5th 2026 at 16:00 CET | Deadline for Pre-proposal submission (mandatory) |
| April 29th 2026 | Communication of pre-proposal assessment |
| June 24th 2026 at 16:00 CEST | Deadline for Full Proposal submission (mandatory) |
| Mid-November 2026 | Communication of full-proposal assessment |
| 01 April 2027 | Latest starting date of selected projects |
Submit your proposal with the Electronic Submission System.
For all general inquiries, contact (including technical questions regarding the submission website): projects.leap-se@agencerecherche.fr
For questions about the national/regional funding regulations: contact your national contact person (see the National/regional funding requirements)
Two webinars of Call presentations will be held in two languages, French and English, for all interested participants.
The English session is organised for November 24th 2025, at 10:00 CET. Registration to the webinar (mandatory): https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zx3hrH-PR7W3f82wxrTq2g
The French session is organised for December 8th 2025, at 13:30 CET. Registration to the webinar (mandatory):https://anr.webex.com/weblink/register/r1620eae12ad77a58b6b4a3cf314373c1
Please go to the matchmaking platform on the leap-re.app: LEAP-RE
| Country | Flag | Funding organisation |
| Africa | ||
| Algeria |  |
MESRS : Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique |
| Cameroon |  |
MINESRI: Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation |
| Egypt |  |
STDF: Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority |
| Kenya |  |
NRF/MOEST: National Research Fund/ Ministry of Education, Science and Technology |
| Morocco |  |
MESRSI : Ministry of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research IRESEN: Institut de Recherche en Énergie Solaire et Énergies Nouvelles : To Be Confirmed |
| Senegal |  |
MESRI : Ministère de l’enseignement supérieur, de la recherche et de l’innovation |
| South Africa |  |
NRF: National Research Foundation DSTI: Department of Science, Technology and Innovation |
| Tunisia |  |
MHESR: Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research |
| African partners without funding organisations |  |
LGI: LGI Sustainable innovation |
| Europe | ||
| Austria |  |
FFG: Osterreichische Forschungsforderungsgesellschaft Mbh |
| Belgium |  |
F.R.S-FNRS: Fund for Scientific Research |
| France |  |
ANR: Agence Nationale de la Recherche LaRI : La Réunion Innovation |
| Germany |  |
JUELICH-Ptj: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH |
| Italy |  |
MUR: Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca |
| Poland |  |
NCN: National Science Centre |
| Romania |  |
UEFISCDI: Research, Development and Innovation Funding |
| Slovenia |  |
ARIS: Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency |
| Türkiye |  |
TUBITAK: The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye |
| United Kingdom |  |
UKRI: UK Research and Innovation |
 |
The LEAP-SE project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Program Cofund Action under Grant Agreement 101172838. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. |
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