Abidjan:The UAE Space Agency, under the leadership of Eng. Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, participated in the inaugural Africa Space Expo (ASPEX 2026) in Abidjan, C´te d'Ivoire. During the event, the agency signed two significant agreements to enhance collaboration with African space entities.

According to Wam, the first agreement was a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the African Space Agency (AfSA) to cooperate on peaceful space activities. The second agreement was a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Angola's National Space Program Management Office (GGPEN). Al Qubaisi also engaged in bilateral discussions with leaders from various African space agencies and government officials.

ASPEX 2026, organized by AfSA and the C´te d'Ivoire Space Agency, aimed to unite governments, space agencies, industries, investors, and researchers to leverage space technologies for Africa's development needs. Eng. Al Qubaisi emphasized the UAE's commitment to using space technology for practical solutions, such as disaster response and urban planning, while highlighting the importance of these partnerships in implementing the UAE's National Space Strategy 2031.

The MoU, signed by Al Qubaisi and Dr. Tidiane Ouattara, President of the Council of the African Space Agency, in the presence of C´te d'Ivoire's Minister for Youth Promotion, Mamadou Tour©, and UAE Ambassador Ali Yousef Al Nuaimi, focuses on areas like space science, Earth observation, and satellite data for climate management, disaster response, and food security. The UAE and African agencies will develop a joint action plan to implement these priorities.

The LoI with Angola, signed by Al Qubaisi and Dr. Zolana Rui Joo, General Director of GGPEN, in the presence of Angola's Minister of Telecommunications, M¡rio Oliveira, outlines cooperation in Earth observation, satellite data applications, and satellite development, supported by training and technical exchanges.

Al Qubaisi also held meetings with key African space leaders, including Dr. Tidiane Ouattara, Prof. Matthew Olumide Adepoju of Nigeria's NASRDA, Maram Kair© of Senegal's ASES, and Odete Semio of Mozambique's ADE, IP. The discussions focused on expanding cooperation in areas such as satellite applications, AI, small-satellite development, and international disaster response initiatives.