Africa has inaugurated its first continental space agency, the African Space Agency (AfSA), marking a historic milestone in the continent’s unified efforts to harness space science and technology for sustainable development and climate resilience.
The official launch ceremony was held at Egypt’s Space City in Cairo and coincided with the 2025 NewSpace Africa Conference. The event brought together space industry leaders, policymakers, researchers, and representatives of international space agencies, underscoring the significance of Africa’s growing role in the global space sector.
AfSA, which operates under the auspices of the African Union (AU), is mandated to coordinate and implement continental space programmes. Its key objectives include facilitating cooperation among African nations on space-related projects, enhancing access to space-derived data and services, and strengthening the continent’s capabilities in satellite deployment, remote sensing, and Earth observation.
Speaking at the inauguration, AU Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof Mohammed Belhocine, said, “The African Space Agency is a bold step towards ensuring that African countries are not merely consumers but also contributors to the global space economy. It is also a strategic response to the pressing developmental challenges we face.”
One of AfSA’s primary missions is to address the continent’s vulnerability to climate change and environmental disasters. By deploying satellites, installing ground-based weather stations, and encouraging data-sharing frameworks, the agency aims to bridge the continent’s satellite data gap and bolster early warning systems for droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events.
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AfSA has also begun forging strategic international partnerships. Memoranda of Understanding have been signed with the European Space Agency (ESA), the United Arab Emirates Space Agency, and Russia’s Roscosmos. These collaborations cover Earth observation, technical support, research, and capacity-building initiatives to advance Africa’s space infrastructure and scientific expertise.
The creation of AfSA follows nearly a decade of planning and consensus-building. The African Union first adopted the African Space Policy and Strategy in 2016, establishing a roadmap for continental coordination in space affairs. In 2019, Egypt was endorsed as the host of the agency’s headquarters a purpose-built facility now located in Cairo.
Experts describe the launch of AfSA as a major turning point in Africa’s pursuit of scientific sovereignty and development through innovation.
“With this new agency, Africa is taking its rightful place in the community of spacefaring nations,” said Dr Tidiane Ouattara, Coordinator of the African Outer Space Programme. “We are building the capacity to use space technology not only for exploration but also for solving our people’s everyday challenges.”
AfSA is expected to play a central role in Africa’s integration, security, environmental sustainability, and economic transformation through the peaceful use of outer space.
