Africa marks historic milestone with official inauguration of African Space Agency

BY MOTOLANI OSENI

The African Space Agency was officially inaugurated on Sunday, 20th April 2025, during the NewSpace Africa Conference, marking a historic milestone for the continent’s space ambitions. The event drew dignitaries from around the world, including ministers and ambassadors, reflecting global recognition of Africa’s growing role in the space sector.

Dr. Valanathan Munsami, former CEO of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) and Chair of the African Union Space Working Group, set the tone for the occasion. He highlighted Africa’s unique opportunity to lead in the global space sector through unity, innovation, and sustainable development, providing historical context to the creation of the African Space Policy and Strategy.

The ceremony featured goodwill messages from senior officials of major global space institutions, including Marco Ferrazzani, Director of Internal Services at the European Space Agency (ESA); Karen Feldstein, Associate Administrator for International and Interagency Relations at NASA; H.E. Salem Butti Salem Al Qubaisi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency; Jean-Marc Astorg, Director of Strategy at CNES (France); Mr. Kikuchi Koichi, Deputy Director at JAXA (Japan); Dr. Driss El-Hadani, Deputy Director at UNOOSA; and Mr. Luca Maria Salamone, Director General of the Italian Space Agency.

Each reaffirmed international support for Africa’s space aspirations.

African national heads of space agencies from Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria, Angola, and Egypt also delivered addresses, showcasing regional commitment to collaborative space development across Central, East, West, North, and Southern Africa.

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A major highlight of the ceremony was the unveiling of the African Space Agency logo and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between AfSA and the European Space Agency. In a symbolic gesture of solidarity, the ESA presented AfSA with a flag that had travelled to space, marking the beginning of deeper institutional cooperation between Africa and its global partners.

High-level political support was further reinforced with speeches from H.E. Mr. Mário Augusto da Silva Oliveira, Angola’s Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technology, and Social Communication; Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Immigration and Egyptian Affairs; and H.E. Mr. Moses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) at the African Union Commission (AUC).

H.E. Dr. Tidiane Ouattara, President of the African Space Council, delivered the welcome address, while H.E. Ayman Ashour, Egypt’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, representing Prime Minister H.E. Prof. Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, gave the keynote, underscoring the strategic importance of space exploration to Africa’s future and the symbolic significance of Egypt hosting the Agency.

The inauguration, hosted by Dr. Temidayo Oniosun, Managing Director of Space in Africa, concluded with a symbolic ribbon-cutting ceremony, officially declaring the African Space Agency operational. The event not only celebrated Africa’s growing space capabilities but also cemented AfSA as a cornerstone for the continent’s future in science, technology, and innovation.