The headquarters of the African Space Agency (AfSA) has been inaugurated in Cairo, Egypt. During the opening ceremony, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stated:
“Egypt has made extensive efforts to establish this agency, which embodies the vision of ‘The Africa We Want’ as outlined in the African Union’s Agenda 2063.”
He further explained that the agency will focus on knowledge sharing, the peaceful use of space among African nations, capacity building, and strengthening Africa’s unified stance on international platforms, especially within the framework of the United Nations.
The agency is expected to cooperate with universities, research institutions, and various space agencies. This collaboration will contribute to building a strong foundation for space science and technology on the continent.
Thanks to this agency, the accessibility and utilization of space-derived data, information, services, and products are expected to reach their full potential.
Egypt was selected in 2019 as the host country of the agency after fulfilling the required political and technical criteria.
Sherif Sedky, CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency, described the inauguration of AfSA as a significant milestone in Africa’s history.
“AfSA will serve as a symbol of innovation, collaboration, and progress for all African nations,” he said.