African countries urged to develop human capital in space science, technology. President of African Space Council of the African Space Agency Tidiane Ouattara said the continent lacks the critical mass of expertise needed to fully leverage space science and technology. Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Morocco are the pioneers in Africa’s space sector, while a number of newcomers are exerting efforts in the sector, including Ethiopia, Gabon, Rwanda, and Kenya, Xinhua news agency reported. He stressed the need for enhanced coordination and cooperation to enable countries to benefit from data exchange mechanisms. He said the majority of African countries do not even have dedicated space policies and institutions. He added that more than 60 per cent of Africa’s population is young, and they are our opportunities. If we train them well, we have the opportunity to use their capabilities for many kinds of space science applications, such as disaster risk reductions, climate change adaptation and mitigation, rural development, urban development, and others, he said. He was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the ongoing 38th African Union (AU) summit at its headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital.
African countries urged to develop human capital in space sc….
