GEO Week 2022, Accra: G&A Coordinator underscores the need for more synergies among Earth Observation Programs in Africa and a critical mass of human capital
Ghana hosted GEO Week 2022, the 18th annual meeting of GEO, from 31 October to 4 November 2022. The GMES and Africa programme was invited to the event. Few days before the opening Ms Yana Gevorgyan, Director of the GEO Secretariat said: "we must consider new ways of thinking, and partnering, to accelerate global action for local impact said". The Coordinator of the G&A Programme, Dr Tidiane Ouattara, presented the GMES and Africa programme and its achievements.
Earth observations data and information are collected on our planet. This includes satellite data, and in situ data collected in the field.
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) * is a global partnership that strives to make these observations freely available worldwide. It also brings together partnerships that produce Earth observation-based tools and services to enable better decisions, policies and investments.
GEO Week * is designed as an opportunity for knowledge exchange, learning and international collaboration. It includes the plenary - decision-making sessions that are open only to GEO delegations - as well as a series of side events and an exhibition. Various international programmes active in Africa and collaborating with GEO were invited, including GMES and Africa, DIGITAL EARTH * , and SERVIR *.
Dr. Tidiane Ouattara, GMES and Africa Programme Coordinator, explained the position of the organization and the programme in 3 different sessions, dealing with sustainability and resilience of systems, public private partnerships (PPP), and operationality of services. But his participation was also the moment of several bilateral or multilateral meetings with other existing programs, about how to synergize, with various other stakeholders of the sector that were represented in Accra.
In his presentations, Dr. Ouattara's message was that for greater efficiency and impact of earth observation programmes, Africa needs the formation of a critical mass of human capital in space as well as synergies between the many initiatives in the field of earth observation.
On the first day, he delivered a keynote on building resilient and sustainable systems. He explained that GMES and Africa is coordinating a system of systems, established to contribute to the policy and institutional frameworks in place by integrating earth observation tools and information, to develop regional and national capacities, access to data and information services, and user and community awareness.
On the prospects of African PPPs, Dr. Ouattara made reference to the Agenda 2063, and the African Space Policy and Strategy, pointing out on the one hand that space is one of the tools of the development policy of the pan-African organization and on the other hand the role that it plays in this development. He then presented the characteristics of the African space market as assessed by Space In Africa *, and its growth forecasts, estimated at 22.64 billion Dollars in 2026, as well as growing investments in the area. For Dr. Ouattara, Africa is the new Eldorado in the space field.
The GMES and Africa Coordinator discussed the development of the African EO sector, what it currently represents, the services offered, sources of funding, current partnerships, and challenges. He proposed a business model such as the one implemented by the GMES and Africa programme, which brings together the private and public sector, and academia. He also mentioned the NewSpace conference to be held in Abidjan next year, which will address in more detail the configuration and potential of this sector.
On Thursday, Dr. Ouattara participated in a panel discussion on the operationalization of services. For him, it is no longer a question of producing raw data in Africa, but rather information through processed data.
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| High level Panel of the Session 2: Operational Services for Africa |
Earth observations data and information are collected on our planet. This includes satellite data, and in situ data collected in the field.
The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) * is a global partnership that strives to make these observations freely available worldwide. It also brings together partnerships that produce Earth observation-based tools and services to enable better decisions, policies and investments.
GEO Week * is designed as an opportunity for knowledge exchange, learning and international collaboration. It includes the plenary - decision-making sessions that are open only to GEO delegations - as well as a series of side events and an exhibition. Various international programmes active in Africa and collaborating with GEO were invited, including GMES and Africa, DIGITAL EARTH * , and SERVIR *.
Dr. Tidiane Ouattara, GMES and Africa Programme Coordinator, explained the position of the organization and the programme in 3 different sessions, dealing with sustainability and resilience of systems, public private partnerships (PPP), and operationality of services. But his participation was also the moment of several bilateral or multilateral meetings with other existing programs, about how to synergize, with various other stakeholders of the sector that were represented in Accra.
In his presentations, Dr. Ouattara's message was that for greater efficiency and impact of earth observation programmes, Africa needs the formation of a critical mass of human capital in space as well as synergies between the many initiatives in the field of earth observation.
On the first day, he delivered a keynote on building resilient and sustainable systems. He explained that GMES and Africa is coordinating a system of systems, established to contribute to the policy and institutional frameworks in place by integrating earth observation tools and information, to develop regional and national capacities, access to data and information services, and user and community awareness.
On the prospects of African PPPs, Dr. Ouattara made reference to the Agenda 2063, and the African Space Policy and Strategy, pointing out on the one hand that space is one of the tools of the development policy of the pan-African organization and on the other hand the role that it plays in this development. He then presented the characteristics of the African space market as assessed by Space In Africa *, and its growth forecasts, estimated at 22.64 billion Dollars in 2026, as well as growing investments in the area. For Dr. Ouattara, Africa is the new Eldorado in the space field.
The GMES and Africa Coordinator discussed the development of the African EO sector, what it currently represents, the services offered, sources of funding, current partnerships, and challenges. He proposed a business model such as the one implemented by the GMES and Africa programme, which brings together the private and public sector, and academia. He also mentioned the NewSpace conference to be held in Abidjan next year, which will address in more detail the configuration and potential of this sector.
On Thursday, Dr. Ouattara participated in a panel discussion on the operationalization of services. For him, it is no longer a question of producing raw data in Africa, but rather information through processed data.
On Friday, a meeting with DE Africa and Servir resulted in the decision to set up a joint working group to work on policy and institutional issues, programmatic matters, advocacy and branding. One of the first tasks of this group will be to develop terms of reference and roadmap.
GMES and Africa/BM/AF
More information (*)
More information (*)
- The Agenda 2063, https://au.int/en/agenda2063/overview
- The African Space Policy, https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/37433-doc-african_space_policy_isbn_electronic_.pdf
- The African Space Strategy, https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/37434-doc-au_space_strategy_isbn-electronic.pdf
- The Africa Outer Space Programme, https://www.nepad.org/agenda-2063/flagship-project/african-outer-space-programme
- Space in Africa, https://spaceinafrica.com/
- The GEOWEEK 2022, https://www.earthobservations.org/geoweek2022.php. Presentations and recordings are available with the GEO Week website, in the relevant section of the schedule.
- The Group on Earth Observations (GEO), https://www.earthobservations.org
- Digital Earth (Africa), https://www.digitalearthafrica.org/
- SERVIR, https://servirglobal.net/
In the Media
- April 2022, The Conversation, Africa has ambitious goals for 2063: plans for outer space hold the key to success
- 07 Oct. 2022, https://ghanatoday.gov.gh/sector-news/ghana-to-host-geo-2022-week/
- 13 Oct. 2022, https://dailyguidenetwork.com/ghana-to-host-2022-geo-week/
- https://www.ghanaiantimes.com.gh/geo-week-2022-underway-in-accra/
- 01 Nov 2022, https://gaecgh.org/gaec-urges-government-to-prioritize-space-science-ahead-of-geo-week-2022/
- 02 Nov. 2022, https://www.businessghana.com/site/news/General/273580/GEO-WEEK-2022-underway-in-Accra
- Media Coverage, https://www.earthobservations.org/documents/geoweek2022/GEOWeek2022MediaCoverage.pdf
- Video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlyUp5G2590
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| High level panel of the Session 1: Building Resilient and Sustainable Systems |
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| Side meetings with DIGITAL EARTH Africa and SERVIR |
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