13 Apr Africa is the Next El Dorado of Space Affairs

The crew of Artemis 2 will soon return to Earth after their mission around the Moon. The four astronauts—American and Canadian—are scheduled to splash down this Friday evening, April 10, off the coast of California, following a historic flight and the collection of unprecedented photographs. This mission is being closely followed by Tidiane Ouattara, president of the council of the African Space Agency, an organ of the African Union. The continent aims to increase its role in space programs, not to land on the Moon, but for very concrete applications in communication, security, and weather forecasting. From Cairo, where the agency is headquartered, Tidiane Ouattara is a guest on RFI.

RFI: Dr Tidiane Ouattara, you followed the Artemis 2 mission. What struck you most?

Dr Tidiane Ouattara: Honestly, I am very moved. It’s a sign of hope. Artemis 2 sends a clear signal: we want to live on the Moon, and there are many technical and scientific developments that would result from that. So, for those of us who are passionate about space, we are overjoyed. But beyond that, we are happy to see that new scientific and technological discoveries will allow us, Africans, to take leaps forward or giant strides in socio-economic development in terms of digital infrastructure.

RFI: Today, around twenty African countries have space programs. There are the pioneers: Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Morocco, and Algeria. Is this a growing sector on the continent?

Dr Tidiane Ouattara: Yes, absolutely. You mentioned pioneers. There are also newer countries like Rwanda, Ethiopia, Gabon, Senegal, and others. There are new players, but almost all African countries are major consumers of space products. So our role at the political level will be to coordinate space programs so that those without their own programs can benefit. Africa is the next El Dorado of space affairs.

RFI: What are the practical applications of these space programs for everyday life?

Dr Tidiane Ouattara: Sometimes, when we’re dealing with the authorities, they ask us, “We have water problems, and you’re talking to me about space.” I can tell you that space allows us to solve two or three problems related to water. For example, when we’re looking for the best places to dig wells, for something that’s supposed to take five years, with space, we can identify potential areas in six months to a year. Secondly, space allows us to monitor and analyse water quality. Thirdly, space enables us to manage water for irrigation. In terms of security and defence, thanks to space, we can see the movement of vehicles, people, and events. And when I say events, I mean floods, volcanic activity, and so on. So, space allows us to get information at a glance, because that’s what’s important for decision-makers.

RFI: But space exploration also involves large long- term investments. For some governments, faced with immediate social needs, isn’t it a luxury?

Dr Tidiane Ouattara: Oh no, space is no longer a luxury. The first reason is that space exploration, which used to cost hundreds of millions of dollars and was led by the governments of the wealthiest countries, taking 5 to 10 years, has seen its budget drastically reduced. You have all kinds of satellites today: CubeSats, nanosatellites. It’s important to emphasise that these are worthwhile investments. Two or three years ago, in West Africa, for example, undersea cables were cut for several days. Some countries were completely paralysed. If we had a satellite at that time, it would have complemented the existing infrastructure and mitigated these impacts and losses. No one can venture into space alone. Therefore, international cooperation and intra-African collaboration are key elements to consider in order to pool resources, whether financial or human.

RFI: How many African satellites are currently in orbit?

Dr Tidiane Ouattara: As far as we know—because there are also military satellites—we’re talking about sixty or so out of thousands and thousands of satellites in space. It’s nothing. But nevertheless, as the years go by, Africans are starting to prepare to launch more satellites.

RFI: China is funding satellites for several African countries. Russia launched Angosat 2 for Angola, and we’ve seen agreements with SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk. Is African space also a space of geopolitical influence?

Dr Tidiane Ouattara: Absolutely. Angola also signed a contract with Airbus, right? Yes, just like in every sector. You can’t escape geopolitics. However, what’s important for us is what Africa stands to gain. Whether it’s China, Russia, Europe, or the United States, Africa is open to everyone. Now, we shouldn’t expect Africa to follow any country based on ideology. We expect our partners to offer us things, and we expect them to be able to make counter-proposals in a win-win situation.

RFI: Today, African satellites are launched from abroad. Is it conceivable that, in the future, the continent will host a satellite launch infrastructure?

Dr Tidiane Ouattara: Ah, yes, you see, geographically, we are fortunate. The equatorial zone is currently a favourable area for tracking many satellites. We have desert areas or marine areas that can easily accommodate launches. It’s one of our dreams.