UAE Space Agency Deepens Cooperation With African Partners at Inaugural Africa Space Expo in Abidjan
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) | Published September 30, 2026 | 10:30 PM
ABIDJAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 30th Sep, 2026) The UAE Space Agency, led by Eng. Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency, participated in the first edition of the Africa Space Expo (ASPEX 2026), held in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. During the visit, the Agency signed two agreements.
The first was a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in peaceful space activities with the African Space Agency (AfSA). The second was a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Angola's National Space Program Management Office (GGPEN). Al Qubaisi also held bilateral meetings with leaders of African space agencies and senior government representatives.
Organized by AfSA and the Government of Côte d'Ivoire through the Côte d'Ivoire Space Agency, ASPEX 2026 brought together governments, space agencies, industry, investors and researchers with a shared focus: turning space technologies into practical solutions for Africa's development priorities.
Eng. Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency, said:
"Across Africa, space is increasingly being used to answer practical questions: how to protect harvests, manage water, respond faster to disasters and plan growing cities. The UAE intends to be a long-term partner in that work. The agreements we signed in Abidjan are designed to move from dialogue to delivery."
"As we implement the National Space Strategy 2031, partnerships like these matter to the UAE as well. They connect our institutions, companies and talent with new partners and markets. They also reflect our belief that space capabilities create the greatest value when they are shared and applied to real challenges on Earth," Al Qubaisi added.
The MoU was signed by Al Qubaisi and Dr. Tidiane Ouattara, President of the Council of the African Space Agency, in the presence of Mamadou Touré, Minister for Youth Promotion, Professional Integration and Civic Service, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and Ali Yousef Al Nuaimi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.
Priority areas include:
- Space science and applications
- Earth observation and satellite data for climate, disaster management and food security
- Policy and regulation
- Talent development
- Collaboration between African and UAE startups
The two agencies will develop a joint action plan to translate these priorities into specific activities.
The LoI was signed by Eng. Al Qubaisi and Dr. Zolana Rui João, General Director of GGPEN, in the presence of Mário Oliveira, Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication (MINTTICS), Angola. It sets out a shared intent to cooperate in Earth observation, satellite data sharing and applications, satellite development, research and innovation, and space policy, support.