The European Union and the African Union enjoy an invaluable partnership in multiple domains, and space is no exception. Through the EU Global Action on Space initiative, the EU facilitates matchmaking between African and European stakeholders and enterprises, and raises awareness around the EU Space Programme. On 25-28 April, the NewSpace Africa Conference 2023 provides the perfect opportunity for African and European entities to meet and develop collaborations. Establishing new partnerships will be facilitated by the business coaching services made available by the EU Global Action on Space.
The space sector is booming. The global space economy is expected to grow by 74% by 2030 and Africa is by no means falling behind, with an expected growth of 16% by 2026. Increasing investments in space programmes, new satellite constellations and a newfound awareness of the transversal applications of space capabilities have unlocked market opportunities for ambitious NewSpace companies.
Space at the service of EU-AU cooperation
Specific market segments hold the most potential for cooperation between European and African businesses, according to the EU Global Action market report for Africa. Earth Observation provides extraordinary solutions to a variety of sectors, spanning from agriculture and resource exploitation to disaster management. Concrete examples include drought monitoring and crop surveillance, food security risk assessment and flood mapping.
Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services are often used in synergy with Earth Observation to maximise efficiency and save lives—precision agriculture and natural disaster management are the best examples in that regard.
The EU Space Programme is made of key flagship components currently serving billions of end-users in Europe and around the world. Copernicus, Europe’s Earth Observation Programme, provides high-quality satellite imagery thanks to its Sentinel satellites and third-party missions, while Galileo and EGNOS deliver Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services with unmatched accuracy. The latest addition to the EU Space Programme, the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS2), is set to provide secure connectivity over specific geographical areas, including Africa.
Many opportunities in the space industry are waiting to be taken advantage of. The European Union has state-of-the-art space infrastructure that can help businesses in doing so globally.
How the EU Global Action on Space can support business growth
The EU Global Action on Space acts as a bridge and facilitator between European service providers and interested stakeholders, whether they are government agencies, private organisations, research entities or emerging businesses. Africa lies at the centre of the European Union’s global efforts to put space technologies at the service of local communities.
Thanks to a vast suite of free business coaching and support services, the EU Global Action on Space helps African stakeholders that are planning to take advantage of European space-based solutions to connect with European entities. By applying for counselling, African businesses which meet the eligibility criteria are supported in the identification of potential European partners. In case of successful matches, the entities are supported through all the steps leading to a partnership.
NewSpace Africa Conference 2023: will you be there?
The free business coaching services of the EU Global Action on Space will be on full display at the NewSpace Africa Conference 2023 taking place in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) on 25-28 April.
In the framework of the Conference, on 27 April, the EU Global Action on Space in collaboration with Expertise France will organise an EU-AU Space Seminar about “Unlocking the full potential of private company service delivery through space data, science & technology and services”.
On that occasion, the private sector will take centre stage; the participants of the Conference will have the opportunity to hear from successful African and European entrepreneurs and delve into the benefits that come with registering to the business coaching platform and enjoying the help of senior space industry experts.
The seminar will also feature a pitching session, where selected European and African NewSpace companies will showcase their satellite-powered products, network and explore opportunities for commercial partnerships with interested parties.
The organisation of the seminar embraces the priorities set for a stronger AU-EU partnership and fully inserts itself into the theme of the Conference: Space for Africa’s socioeconomic transformation. Indeed, presentations will be tailored to the specific needs of African stakeholders and cover the concrete opportunities for commercial partnerships, with a particular focus on environmental challenges, agriculture, natural resources and marine and coastal areas monitoring.
Thanks to the NewSpace Africa Conference 2023, the European Union and Africa are set to bring their cooperation in the space domain to the next level. The two regions have already been sharing know-how and technical expertise in two main programmes, namely GMES and Africa for Earth Observation and cooperation on Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) in partnership with the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA) and the Joint Programme Office for Satellite Navigation in Africa (JPO). The vibrant African NewSpace actors are in a position to follow suit and play a crucial role in the socio-economic transformation of Africa though their innovative space-based solutions.
Register and join the EU Global Action at the NewSpace Africa Conference on 26 & 27 April here.
