The African Union
Commission (AUC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Europe’s meteorological
satellite agency, EUMETSAT to further strengthen cooperation on Earth
observation.
The new MoU is
expected to open way for access by African environmental and meteorological
services to EUMETSAT’s data from its next-generation satellite systems. It provides the framework for EUMETSAT
and AUC to cooperate on deploying new infrastructure to receive data and build
educational materials to ensure the biggest possible impact from the satellite
data.
EUMETSAT has begun to
deploy its Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) satellite system, with the launch of
MTG-Imager 1 in December 2022. The satellite’s imagers have a constant view of
Africa, as well as Europe, and its data will be released for operational use
soon. The organisation’s next-generation of polar-orbiting satellites, EUMESAT
Polar System – Second Generation, will begin to be launched in 2025-26.
“EUMETSAT is a key partner of the African Union
in projects aiming to strengthen Africa’s meteorological, environmental and
climate services,” EUMETSAT Director-General Phil Evans said. “We have provided African nations with data and capacity building
support for more than two decades, within the framework of the European
Union-Africa Partnership.
“This agreement will facilitate access to more
of the precise, high-resolution data those data users in Africa need to help
protect lives, infrastructure and livelihoods. The agreement recognises and
supports Africa’s space, meteorological and climate strategies.”
“The memorandum of understanding represents
another milestone in Africa-Europe cooperation. It is a renewed opportunity for
Africa to explore EUMETSAT’s next generation infrastructure and tools for data
harvesting and utilization. The agreement is timely and complements the Agenda 2063 and the African Space Policy and Strategy in
deploying satellite data to address environmental and climate challenges. Such
a mutual partnership is crucial for Africa’s drive to leverage its
socio-economic transformation using space science and technology,” adds Professor
Mohammed Belhocine, Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and
Innovation, African Union Commission.
By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
