Newscenter Media News Africa’s space aspirations reached a significant milestone on 20 April with the inauguration of the African Space Agency (AfSA) at its headquarters in Egyptian Space City, Cairo.
This event marked the culmination of efforts that began in January 2016, when the African Union Assembly adopted the African Space Policy and Strategy during its Twenty-sixth Ordinary Session, establishing the foundation for the continent’s coordinated approach to space activities.
The inauguration ceremony gathered distinguished representatives from the African Union Commission, African governments, national space agencies, AfSA Council members, and international space organisations. This assembly of dignitaries underscored the continental and global significance of Africa’s advancement in space endeavours.
Role and Objectives of AfSA
Following its inauguration, the African Space Agency is now the primary entity coordinating Africa’s space cooperation with Europe and other international partners.
A central objective of AfSA is to enhance space missions across Africa, ensuring optimal access to space-derived data, information, services, and products.
Once fully integrated into national, regional, and continental programmes, the agency aims to eliminate duplication and inefficiencies within the African space ecosystem, it is reported. As the official coordinating body, AfSA will implement the African Space Policy and Strategy effectively and advance the continent’s space-related objectives.
Memoranda of Understanding signing
The signing of cooperation agreements with the European Space Agency, the UAE Space Agency, and Roscosmos represents AfSA’s first formal international partnerships. Each memorandum outlines specific areas of cooperation, including:
With ESA: Collaborative Earth observation programmes focused on climate monitoring and natural resource management, joint training programmes for African space professionals, and technical support for AfSA’s early institutional development.
With the UAE Space Agency: Cooperation on small satellite development, educational exchanges between African and Emirati space institutions and many more.
With Roscosmos, the Russian Federation’s office of space affairs: Technical consultation on launch capabilities, space science research collaboration, and potential participation of African astronauts in future missions.
The African Space Agency (AfSA) is the second regional space agency after ESA and has been in development since 2015, with the African Union Commission adopting an African space policy and strategy in 2016.
The African Space Agency brings together the 55 member countries of the African Union to coordinate and implement Africa’s space ambitions. Its headquarters are in Egypt, which launched Africa’s first satellite in 1998.
Since 1998 18 African countries have launched a further 63 satellites and many African nations have implemented their own space programmes to the benefit of their people.
Harnessing space science
AfSA has the goal of harnessing space science and technology for Africa’s socio-economic development, promoting collaborative research and the peaceful exploration of outer space.
Republished with permission from Africa Ports & Ships. The original article can be found here.
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