GMES & Africa contributes to awareness raising on applications of Space technologies

Hailu Wudineh

07 October 2017

The African Union Commission participated the high level awareness raising workshop on space science applications held at the UNECA on 07 October 2017, in Addis Ababa.

Dr. Tidiane Ouattara, the GMES & Africa Support Programme Coordinator and Space Expert of the African Union Commission briefed participants how GMES & Africa use images of Earth from space for marine and land resource management in Africa.

The purpose of the workshop was raise awareness regarding applications of space based technologies for development and to share experiences of stakeholders and actors in the field. It also aimed at engaging education sector so that capacity development on space and Earth Observation related can be enhanced in Africa.

The Space Awareness high level workshop was officially opened by His Excellency Prof. Afework Kassu, State Minster of the Ethiopian Ministry of Science and Technology. He stressed the importance of space science, outreach and education in stimulating youth in science and technology and vital to achieve the sustainable goals. He further added that the teachers training and exposure to space oriented events and educational materials will enhance teacher’s self-confidence in teaching and assist to produce students who will be attracted towards STEM fields.

The workshop was is organized by the International Astronomical Union’s Office of Astronomy for Development (IAU-OAD), European Union Space Awareness project, Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute (ESSTI) and the East Africa Regional Office of Astronomy for Development (EAf-ROAD).

During the workshop, World Space Week was also celebrated by poster exhibition which is prepared by different public and private school students under the theme ‘Exploring new worlds in Space’ : Representatives from the African Union Commission Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology, Director and staff of the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute, Staff of Ministry of Science and Technology, Ethiopian Biotechnology Institute, Addis Ababa University, delegates of Euro planet, Representative of EU Space Awareness, director and project manager of the IAU Office of Astronomy for development, Coordinators of IAU Regional Offices of Astronomy for Development for Southern Africa, West Africa, East Africa, and the Arab World, members of the Ethiopian Space Science Society(ESSS) and the Space Generation Advisory Council(SGAC),Science teachers, students and coordinators of space-related clubs from Ethiopia, other distinguished individuals and stakeholders from universities and institutes in Africa and Middle East attended the workshop.

GMES & Africa Support Programme is an African Union Commission Programme that promotes promotes applications of satellite information and applications of space technology for socioeconomic development in Africa. A pan African Programme, all fifty four African countries benefits from GMES & Africa Programme through four pillars: