Africa’s space aspirations reached new heights yesterday, April 20, 2025, with the inauguration of the African Space Agency (AfSA) at its headquarters in the new build Space City in Cairo, Egypt. This achievement represents the culmination of efforts that began in January 2016, when the African Union Assembly adopted the African Space Policy and Strategy, establishing the foundation for the continent’s coordinated approach to space activities.
Following its inauguration, the African Space Agency serves as the primary entity coordinating Africa’s space cooperation with other international partners. As outlined in the African Space Agency Act, AfSA will enhance space missions across Africa, ensuring effective access to space-derived data, information, services, and products.
Once integrated into national, regional, and continental programs, the agency aims to streamline operations within the African space ecosystem. As the official coordinating body, AfSA will implement the African Space Policy and Strategy while advancing the continent’s space-related objectives.
The unveiling of AfSA’s official logo represents a defining moment in establishing the agency’s identity. Designed by Cameroonian designer Remy Fadhil Bouelet, who won the AfSA Logo Competition announced in February 2025, the logo incorporates elements that reflect Africa’s cultural heritage, technological aspirations, and commitment to sustainable development through space.
The signing of cooperation agreements with the European Space Agency – ESA Space Agency, the UAE Space Agency, and Roscosmos marks AfSA’s first formal international partnerships. These memoranda establish specific cooperation areas: collaborative Earth observation programs with ESA; small satellite development with the UAE Space Agency; and technical consultation on launch capabilities with Roscosmos, including potential participation of African astronauts in future missions.
The opening of the new African Space Agency building, strategically scheduled before the New Space Africa conference taking place April 21-24 in Cairo, demonstrates the continent’s commitment to creating tangible infrastructure for its space ambitions. This dedicated facility will serve as a central hub for continental space activities, fostering collaboration, innovation, and the development of African space expertise. As nations worldwide recognize the strategic importance of the space economy, forming a space agency for the continent and investment in a permanent home is sending a clear message: Africa is ready to take its rightful place in the global space economy.
Inauguration of the African Space Agency: A Milestone for Africa’s Space Development
