The 14th AARSE International Conference: Advancing Earth Observations for Africa’s Sustainable Development
The 14th African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE) International Conference (AARSE 2024) was a landmark event in Earth Observation (EO) and geospatial science in Africa.
Held from November 26–30, 2024, at the Sofitel Hotel in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the conference was organised by Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny through the Centre Universitaire de Recherche et d’application en Télédétection (CURAT). This year’s event, themed Earth Observation: Pillar of Africa’s Sustainable Socioeconomic Development, brought together over 1,000 participants worldwide, including policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders.
Conference Highlights
The opening ceremony featured addresses from H.E. Jacques Assahoré Konan, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development, and Ecological Transition, and H.E. Dr Tidiane Ouattara, President of the Council of the African Space Agency (AfSA).
Both speakers emphasised the transformative potential of EO technologies in addressing Africa’s most pressing challenges, from climate change to urbanisation.
Professor Affian Kouadio, Chair of the AARSE 2024 organising committee, highlighted the conference’s pivotal role in strengthening Africa’s position in the global EO landscape.
Over the five-day conference, 145 presentations—delivered in person and virtually—explored Africa’s current priorities in Earth Observation. Topics ranged from climate change mitigation and disaster management to urban planning, water resource management, and low-cost observation technology. The event also delved into EO’s role in advancing smart agriculture, health monitoring, and marine and coastal ecosystem management. Côte d’Ivoire’s experts showcased 20 pioneering EO use cases, including cacao crop mapping, bushfire spatiotemporal analysis, flood risk zone mapping, and urbanisation tracking. These case studies demonstrated the practical applications of EO in addressing the nation’s environmental and socioeconomic challenges.
Furthermore, the conference included interactive workshops, offering participants hands-on training in geospatial tools, satellite data manipulation, and EO applications in real-world scenarios. It also included exhibitions featuring cutting-edge geospatial innovations and services tailored to Africa’s needs, providing solutions for resource management and sustainable development. These activities reinforced the conference’s commitment to capacity-building and practical skill development.
Significance of AARSE 2024
Beyond its academic achievements, AARSE 2024 emphasised the strategic importance of EO technologies in tackling Africa’s socioeconomic and environmental challenges. In addition, it positioned EO as a vital tool for addressing critical issues such as urbanisation, food security, and climate change while promoting its application in key sectors like agriculture, health, and infrastructure. Similarly, the conference served as a platform for aligning efforts among scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders, showcasing actionable solutions and advocating for the integration of EO into African public policies.
As the host nation, Côte d’Ivoire reaffirmed its growing role as a key hub in Africa’s space ecosystem. Furthermore, the country’s strong institutional support for EO initiatives, strategic geographic positioning, international partnerships, and contributions to major space-related conferences highlights its commitment to leveraging EO as a catalyst for sustainable development and transformative change across the continent. AARSE 2024 successfully advanced this vision, leaving a lasting impact on Africa’s geospatial and EO communities and a template for a more impactful EO ecosystem.