19 May Africa and Russia Strengthen Space Cooperation

On Monday, 18 May 2026, in Cairo, H.E. Dr Tidiane Ouattara, President of the Council of the African Space Agency (AfSA), and H.E. Mr Yuriy Matveev, Chargé d’Affaires of the Russian Federation in Egypt, formalised the Memorandum of Understanding between AfSA and ROSCOSMOS, marking an important milestone in Africa–Russia space cooperation.

The agreement, concluded after more than two years of consultations and negotiations, strengthens the institutional framework for international cooperation supporting Africa’s growing space ambitions. It focuses particularly on long-term capacity development for African experts through master’s and doctoral programmes, as well as developing strategic projects and infrastructure in key sectors such as climate change, agriculture, water resources management, and Earth observation applications.

This partnership reflects AfSA’s commitment to building strong international collaborations that support innovation, skills development, and the peaceful use of space technologies for the socio-economic development of the African continent.