Abu Dhabi:The United Arab Emirates has concluded its six-month leadership of the International Charter Space and Major Disasters, marking a significant milestone as the first Arab country and the first in the Middle East and Africa to lead the Charter. This partnership allows space agencies to provide satellite data at no cost to emergency teams during major disasters.
According to Wam, the UAE shared its leadership term with the European Space Agency (ESA), which provided technical support, especially in training and capacity building. The leadership handover took place at the Charter's 56th Board meeting in Tokyo last October, with the UAE Space Agency transferring its responsibilities to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The UAE led the Charter from April 20 to October 19, 2026.
Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, emphasized the importance of international cooperation in space technology for humanitarian purposes. He highlighted the UAE's commitment to its National Space Strategy 2031 and expressed hope for JAXA's future success.
Eng. Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, Director-General of the UAE Space Agency, noted the collaborative nature of the Charter. He praised the UAE's role in facilitating cooperation among satellite operators, analysts, disaster authorities, and United Nations partners, ensuring a coordinated response to disasters.
During the UAE's leadership, the Charter was activated 28 times for various natural disasters across 18 countries, resulting in the provision of over 8,000 satellite data products and 457 analysis outputs. UAE institutions, including the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), Space42, the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), and TACTICA, supported 12 activations through satellite imagery, geospatial analysis, mapping, and damage assessments.
The UAE Space Agency also coordinated efforts domestically and internationally to enhance disaster response capabilities. It plans to expand its satellite data offerings, with MBRSC and Space42 working to provide optical and radar data for future disaster responses.
Additionally, the UAE Space Agency invested in training project managers and value-adding organizations to improve response coordination. Training sessions were held in Abu Dhabi and West Africa, focusing on satellite imagery analysis and disaster response mapping.
The UAE's efforts in international cooperation were further recognized when the International Charter received the International Astronautical Federation's 2026 World Space Award. Dr. Al Falasi accepted the award at the 77th International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, Turkey.