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:
Scopes across two primary thematic areas:
Progress and Impact
Since its inception, it has made significant strides in implementing Earth observation systems for practical use:
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
Consortia | Theme |
---|---|
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 |