Egypt to host African Space Agency headquarters

CAIRO- 24 January 2023: Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Ayman Ashour said space technology and the African Space Agency (AfSA) receive significant attention and support from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli.

Ashour made the remarks during a meeting with Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI) of the African Union Commission (AUC) Mohamed Belhocine, and his accompanying delegation to sign the AfSA HQ agreement, pursuant to a resolution passed at the 32nd African Union Summit in February 2019.

The Egyptian government is still committed to delivering on its promise to host the permanent headquarters of the African agency, with a view to realizing African peoples' aspirations to a more advanced space industry, Ashour added.

The agreement provides the general framework regulating the relationship between the Egyptian government and the agency, which will serve as a platform for research, innovation, technological as well as technical education in Africa, the minister pointed out.

Ashour affirmed his ministry's commitment to dedicate all its potential and resources at Egyptian universities, research institutes, and innovation centers, to ensure that the agency's building is executed as desired, in cooperation with the factories involved in the project.

Meanwhile, Belhocine commended Egypt's support to Africa, especially in the domains of education, technology and science.

This support demonstrates Egypt's leading historical role in the Arab world and Africa, Belhocine said.

The agency's HQ building project in expected to be handed over by the end of 2023.