From October 24 to 26, 2023, Dakar will host the first edition of the African Union-European Union (AU-EU) International Forum on Space Dialogue. The opportunity for Senegal to display its expectations in this sector, like other countries and institutions on the continent. Explanations.
2 mins
With our correspondent in Dakar, Juliette Dubois
Space is at the heart of African development policies. Last April, Abidjan hosted the African space forum. This time, it is in Dakar that the first edition of a new meeting is being held from October 24 to 26: the African Union-European Union (AU-EU) International Forum on space dialogue. The idea for the two continents is to continue to develop collaborations in the space domain.
The choice of Dakar to host this event was not by chance. Senegalese President Macky Sall has made space one of the pillars of his Plan Senegal Emerging (PSE). This year, a Space Studies Agency was created, the 22nd on the continent. But this is an area that is still poorly known to the general public.
Maram Kairé, director of the Senegalese Agency for Space Studies (Ases), explains: “ This is a strong moment of communication. We must show not only that Senegal has made the decision to be among the space nations, but also that we must communicate massively to explain to populations what space brings in terms of applications. »
Among the possible applications and collaborations, the IRIS² program (Infrastructure for Resilience and Secure Interconnection by Satellites), of the European Commission, a constellation of satellites which will be able to provide access to new data to African governments and businesses from 2024 .
Jean-Marc Pisani, ambassador of the European Union to Senegal, assures: “ This is the future in areas that have significant implications for Africa, implications for example on climate change, implications on early warning systems for natural disasters, areas on fisheries monitoring, will be linked to the emergence of this spatial domain. So, it is important for the European Union to support this movement. »
The forum should be held alternately between Europe and Africa.
Where is the African Space Agency created in January 2023 by the African Union?
The African space industry is now valued at more than US$20 billion and employs more than 18,000 people. The next step is the effective launch of the African Space Agency (ASAf), by the African Union, which was created in January 2023.
Tidiane Ouattara, head of the African space program at the AU commission, explains at the microphone of Juliette Dubois : “ The Space Agency has two missions. A first mission, which is to coordinate all space activities at the continental level, because the countries are not at the same level. Second mission is to ensure that we create a regulatory framework, because doing space activity sometimes borders on security, there are countries that are reluctant. So, we must ensure that a regulatory framework is created to get Africans to work together. But while doing this, the Agency must ensure firstly that we develop national capabilities; our young Africans, girls and boys, make up 60% of the population and we must train them. Second strategic priority is to say: space and space products and services must be at the center of Africa’s sustainable development. »
He concludes : ” The structure and financial applications are adopted, the headquarters is in Cairo, it has been signed with the Arab Republic of Egypt. A building was granted to us. All we have to do is get human beings there to do the work, that’s the only thing left. »