GMES and Africa: Mission to European Commission DG-INTPA to prepare the GMES and Africa Phase 3

The purpose of the mission was to present and discuss the results, key lessons, successes and challenges of GMES and Africa Phases 1 and 2. It took place in Brussels, Belgium on 19-20 June.

Agenda

The current state of the Africa-EU partnership on Space was thoroughly reviewed, emphasizing the significant strides and collaborative efforts made thus far. The scope and expected outputs for GMES and Africa Phase-3 were clearly defined, highlighting the strategic direction and key objectives that will guide this next phase. A detailed roadmap was outlined for the development of GMES Phase-3 and the EU Space programme, ensuring a structured and well-coordinated approach to achieving the set goals. Additionally, all matters related to the management and implementation of GMES and Africa Phase-3 were meticulously addressed, ensuring that every aspect is covered for a smooth and effective execution of the programme.

Brief Summary

• The two-day hybrid meeting included the African Union (AUC) delegation from the GMES and Africa Program Management Unit (PMU) and representatives from the European Commission (EC), European Union Delegation (EUD) to AU, DEFIS, EEAS, and Joint Research Centre (JRC).
• The meeting began with presentations and discussions on the major achievements, lessons learnt, challenges, and success stories of GMES and Africa Phases 1 and 2. Key topics included programme management and pillars such as policy and institutional framework, access to Earth observation (EO) data, information services, capacity building, knowledge management, and awareness-raising.
• Partners discussed the Africa Space Agency's structure and programmes, the evolution of the EU Space programme, and the state-of-play in Africa's space context. Additional topics included Regional Centres of Excellence (RCEs) and EO maturity assessments.
• The consensus was that GMES Phase-3 should incorporate new themes and actors, aligned with the formulation report. The structure and statute of the African Space Agency (AfSA) were explained, ensuring European partners understood the implications and coordination of space programmes under AfSA.
• The AUC has progressed in developing explicit and detailed guidelines for GMES Phase-3. These guidelines will define the involvement and management by consortia, roles and responsibilities, data access platforms, services deployment, feedback mechanisms, and training. Applicants must demonstrate engagement with national institutions and accountability in technical meetings. Cross-fertilization guidelines will clarify measurable deliverables on MoUs developed with other partners.