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GMES and Africa

The GMES & Africa programme is designed to enhance the capacity of African institutions to utilise Earth observation (EO) technologies for sustainable development. The programme reflects a critical partnership between Africa and Europe, emphasising technology transfer, capacity building, and sustainable development through Earth observation. GMES & Africa works across 47 African countries, delivering data and services through Estations and Regional Centers of Excellence and involving multiple academic, governmental, and scientific institutions as consortia. During the first phase, which started in December 2016 and ended in December 2021, the programme worked with 12 consortia, with at least two in each African region. The programme’s second phase kicked off in January 2022 and is currently working with eight consortia.

Background

The GMES and Africa Support Programme is a collaborative initiative between the European Union and the African Union, with a budget of EUR 30 million (USD 34 million) for its first phase. It was first introduced on December 7, 2007, during the 2nd EU-Africa Summit in Lisbon, Portugal. However, the programme’s full-scale implementation only commenced nearly a decade later. The initiative builds upon the success of the African Monitoring of the Environment for Sustainable Development (AMESD) and Monitoring of Environment and Security in Africa (MESA) programmes. GMES & Africa is the natural progression designed to improve access to Earth Observation data and services in Africa. It aligns with the Agenda 2063 of the African Union, aiming to foster socioeconomic development, climate resilience, and sustainable resource management across the continents** The overarching goal of GMES & Africa is to empower African policymakers, scientists, and communities to use Earth observation data to:

  • Improve environmental governance
  • Manage natural resources
  • Enhance disaster preparedness and resilience
  • Support sustainable development and climate change adaptation
  • Promote data sharing and scientific collaboration across the continent.

Scopes across two primary thematic areas:

  1. Natural Resources, Water Management, and Marine & Coastal Areas: This includes monitoring ecosystems, climate resilience, water resources, and coastal/marine health.
  2. Disaster Risk Reduction: Earth observation technologies help identify areas prone to floods, droughts, and other natural disasters, allowing for more efficient responses.

Progress and Impact

Since its inception, it has made significant strides in implementing Earth observation systems for practical use:

  • In Phase One, the programme developed regional workshops, trained local experts, and installed Estations, providing access to satellite data and Copernicus services. By its conclusion, Phase One had reached about 45 African countries.
  • Phase Two, launched in 2023, focuses on enhancing local capacity and expanding Earth observation applications in agriculture, water management, urbanisation, and climate monitoring. The second phase also includes disaster risk management improvements, offering broader, data-driven decision-making capabilities for African governments and regional bodies.
  • The programme has already contributed to combating deforestation, improving productivity, and monitoring coastal environments, especially in areas highly vulnerable to climate change.

Future Outlook

For Phase Two, the European Commission has committed EUR 24.65 million (USD 28 million) in support, and the programme will run until December 2025. Continued partnership with Copernicus ensures that Africa remains a beneficiary of the latest advancements in Earth observation and satellite technology, with a clear emphasis on supporting Africa’s broader sustainable development goals. The programme’s success demonstrates the growing importance of space technologies in addressing Africges, from environmental conservation to disaster risk reduction.

Phase Two Consortia

ConsortiaTheme
Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD)Water services and natural resources
Commission Internationale du Basin Conga-Oubangi-Sangha (CICOS)Water services and natural resources
IGAD Climate Protection and Applications Centre (ICPAC)Natural Resources
Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL)Water Services
Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel (OSS)Water services and natural resources
Centre de Suivi Ecologique (CSE)Water Services
Category
Programmes