By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
Angola’s National Space
Program Management Office (GGPEN) and Portuguese company GEOSAT have signed a
Letter of Intent to establish cooperation in Earth observation, geospatial
applications and the development of satellite data-based services in Angola.
The agreement was signed on
Tuesday, October 13, and aims to strengthen national capacities, promote the
development of products and services based on satellite data, and boost the
downstream segment of the space sector under the ANGEO-1 programme.
GGPEN operates under the
Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social
Communication (MINTTICS), while GEOSAT is a Portuguese company specialising in
satellite-based services.
The partnership provides for
the identification and development of geospatial solutions for strategic
sectors, including the management of state assets, spatial planning, urban
expansion, agriculture, forestry, mining, natural resource management, infrastructure,
coastal areas, water resources, security and emergency response.
The Letter of Intent also
includes training for Angolan technicians, students and startups, controlled
access to geospatial images and tools, support for data processing and
interpretation, and the development of applications tailored to the specific
needs of the national market.
The cooperation is intended
to support the transformation of space data and technologies into practical
solutions for different areas of the economy and society.
The training programme is
already underway. Miguel Dunge, GGPEN’s Ambassador for Space Education and a
graduate in Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, is currently part of
GEOSAT’s trainee staff in Portugal. He was hired following a selection process.
The partnership is expected
to contribute to knowledge transfer, skills development and the growth of
Angola’s geospatial services sector.
