The Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Cape Coast, Mrs. Julia Selman-Ayetey, has called on African leaders to emphasize the need for significant investment in the African space industry to reduce reliance on foreign space service providers.
She made the remarks during the NewSpace Africa Conference 2023 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Outer space is used globally for many aspects of daily life such as national security, agriculture and food security and emergency relief efforts. As a result, she suggested an increase in African-owned and operated space services was crucial to protect the African space ecosystem.
Mrs. Ayetey underlined the need for African leaders to take actionable steps, including the implementation of national space law and policy, to create the enabling environment necessary to foster prosperity.
The conference was sponsored by the African Union (AU) and Space in Africa and hosted by the government of Côte d’Ivoire.
The event brought together industry leaders, academia, national space agencies and other critical stakeholders to share insights and ideas for the growth and development of the African space industry, which is currently valued at $20 billion and expected to surpass $22 billion by 2026.
The conference was aimed at addressing opportunities, challenges and trends in the African space and satellite industry to facilitate agenda-setting and nudge stakeholders in the direction of innovative solutions that can revolutionize the African continent for socioeconomic development.
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Source: Documentation and Information section
