We are gearing up to the Forum with enthusiasm: GMES and Africa Coordinator, Dr. Tidiane Ouattara
GMES and Africa is two years into its second implementation phase, and the programme’s first continental Forum of phase 2 will be held from 27 to 30 November in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The man leading the Pan-African initiative is Dr. Tidiane Ouattara, who doubles as Space Science Expert for the African Union Commission. In this interview with the GMES and Africa communications team, he talks about the Forum, GMES and Africa’s implementation traction, and the programme’s role in leading the transformation of EO in the continent.
G&A Comms team: GMES and Africa came in the wake of other continental earth observation programmes. What sets it apart from preceding programmes?
Dr. Ouattara: Indeed, GMES and Africa was preceded by other programmes and the idea was to build on their successes, address some of the gaps and emerging needs, and take the African earth observation domain to another level. It must be said that Africa is preoccupied with the business of EO based on its vast possibilities in terms of contributing to socio-economic growth and data sharing for disaster management, including disease outbreaks, climate and weather hazards, and food shortage, to name but a few. EO has also contributed to global cooperation and security, aiding crisis management and resolution efforts.
But what actually sets GMES and Africa apart from preceding programmes is its truly Pan-African character and scope. For the first time, such an EO programmes covers the entire African continent and is managed entirely by Africans at the level of the African Union Commission. It is aligned to the aspirations of the Agenda 2063 and as an enabler of the African Space Strategy, it has a broader public policy orientation. This is why there is also a stronger emphasis on the involvement of the private sector and academia. As a result, one can observe the remarkable interest GMES and Africa has stimulated among both continental and global stakeholders.
G&A Comms team: The second phase of GMES and Africa is ongoing and I am sure you will have a lot to say about that. But first, can you share with us, in concrete terms, some of the achievements made during phase one?
Dr. Ouattara: The achievements are a chain of success stories and I will only highlight some of the key results produced through the consortia and their partners, who delivered services forming the core of community and public needs in many parts of the continent. The programme has provided training facilities through sponsorship of postgraduate university students and through customized training programmes to thousands of Africans. The digital learning platform is a phenomenal resource enabling continuous professional training for young African scientists and EO industry professionals.
Through innovation and research, some of our projects have produced cutting-edge technological applications tailored and fit for local use. Concrete examples that come to mind are applications developed for vessel tracking at sea in Southern Africa. This helps to control illegal fishing, smuggling and other crimes in the high seas. Our project in Ghana developed an app for tracking accidents at sea, another for reporting conditions at sea and assessing heavy flooding which is a perennial hazard in West Africa.
Numerous other tools have been created – for example, for river navigation, assessing ecologies and agriculture rangelands, and monitoring crop conditions for food security. In terms of infrastructure, GMES and Africa’s regional geo-portals are not only a source of satellite data, but lasting assets for information sharing. One can only imagine the solutions these have generated for natural resource management, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development. Without doubt, the programme is a pacesetter, transforming innovation in Africa.
G&A Comms team: We are two years into the second phase, and the First Forum of this phase will be in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. What can you tell us about the significance of the Forum and what is expected there?
Dr. Ouattara: Indeed, the second phase started and is progressing on a momentous traction. The eight consortia are addressing its requirements and priorities. You must have noted that there is an addition to the pillars, called policy and institutional framework. This speaks to the focus on collaboration among institutional stakeholders and the need to target policy as a cornerstone for delivering EO services and vice versa. So far, the programme has been concentrating on the consolidation of the gains made in the first phase, whilst using the lessons learnt to address priorities identified for phase 2.
The Forum is here and we are gearing up to it with enthusiasm. It is yet another opportunity to mobilize and engage the entire spectrum of stakeholders. We will be in Sharm El-Sheikh, and the ground is set for a week of discussions, experience sharing and networking. This is moment to engage our various publics, from policy makers, scientists and businesses, to academia, researchers and the media. It will be a time for interfacing between service providers and end users, to understand the level of success and deficits in service delivery. This creates room for the customization of EO applications, tools and technology for the benefit of user communities. By the time the Forum is over, we would have charted a clear direction on what to deliver in the years ahead.
G&A Comms team: From the GMES and Africa experience and as Space Science expert, there must be insights that you have drawn, for future EO and space programmes and projects in Africa.
Dr. Ouattara: Indeed, very important lessons have been learnt from the GMES and Africa first implementation phase. Technically, the model has proved successful in addressing user needs; strengthening data, technology and products; and embracing highest standards of management practice. It also shows the need to strengthen some fabrics in the governance structure, in calibrating the experience of different countries and regions, and exploiting endogenous sources for resource mobilization.
For assuring longer term relevance and impact, national space programs ought to be institutionalized with strong governance structures that will underpin the formulation of regulatory frameworks to enable their competitiveness. Building robust infrastructure is inevitable for harnessing opportunities offered by space on a sustainable basis. Public-private partnerships as well as government support are important in integrating space technologies into other sectors of the economy.
G&A Comms team: What is your vision for GMES and Africa in the context of EO in Africa?
Dr. Ouattara: My vision is an Africa that is able to maximally exploit and benefit from earth observation tools and technology. The valorization of GMES and Africa’s services and knowledge assets for continuous utilization by the beneficiaries is among my main preoccupations. In the horizons, I see the potential of GMES and Africa to deploy EO derived tools, products and services in ensuring the ample provision of basic necessities, such as food, shelter, a clean and healthy environment and proper education for our population. I further envision GMES and Africa contributing to the Agenda 2063 by tackling the pressing issues of climate change, agriculture and food security, disaster risk reduction, environmental management and health in the continent. By all indications, the second phase is set to unravel new depths, heights and horizons. This is why my hope, as it is for the African Union, is to see the next GMES & Africa 3rd phase including other chapters such as health, climate change and adaptation, etc.
Comments
Post a Comment