Inadequate resource mobilization mechanisms, weak ownership and lack of integrated governance, and the absence of a significant industrial sector on the African continent constitute major obstacles to inclusive economic growth and social development. A useful framework has been developed to deal with this. This is Agenda 2063, which includes the following key elements: the promotion of science, technology and innovation.
It is recognized that space science and technology are important factors for the implementation of STISA 2024 and Agenda 2063. It is clear that space science and technology are indispensable tools that ensure sustainable use of natural resources and the creation of advanced industrial sectors. In addition, they significantly contribute to job creation, reducing poverty, management of resources sustainably and development of rural areas. A formal space sector will help Africa realize the vision of a peaceful, united and prosperous continent.
The African space policy is the first of a set of instruments that will help formalize the African space program. This policy provides the guiding principles for a sustainable and fully effective space program that will meet the needs of the African continent.
As a developing continent, Africa has considerable potential for socio-economic growth compared to the developed regions of the world. Space represents a unique opportunity for cooperation to share infrastructure and data to ensure the proactive management of epidemics, natural resources and the environment, management of natural disasters, forecasting weather, climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, agriculture and food security, peacekeeping missions and conflict resolution.
The determining factors for an African space program are broken down through the following high-level political orientations:
The implementation of the African space program will:
Meet the needs of users by taking full advantage of the potential benefits of space technology and science to meet the socio-economic issues and challenges of Africa. To achieve this objective it is necessary to:
Strengthen the applications of space technology on the continent to ensure optimal access to data, services and information products derived from space. To do this, you must:
Develop a viable and dynamic local space industry that meets the needs of the African continent. This requires:
Adopt good corporate governance and best practices for the coordinated management of continental space activities. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to:
Coordinate the African space arena to maximize the benefits of current and planned space activities; avoid or minimize duplication of resources and efforts by:
Promote inter-African cooperation and with other countries through:
This policy provides the main strategic directions that will advance the agenda of any formal space initiative on the continent. The strategic directions of this policy are based on a set of objectives and principles which set out the important points to be addressed in the development and coordination of a viable and sustainable space program. These strategic objectives and principles constitute the essential elements and the basis of all decisions and actions of the African space program. This policy is a guiding framework for the formalization of an African space program, and is complemented by the African Space Strategy and associated implementation plans, as well as the governance structure.
We will come back to each objective of this policy in detail in our next articles.
Source: African Union