The Minister of Transport and Communications of Bahrain Kingdom, Mohammed bin Thamer Al Kaabi, inaugurated the eighth Arab Space Cooperation Group meeting held at Sakhir Air Base on November 8, 2022. The event was attended by 14 delegates, including the CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency, Prof. Dr Sherif Sedky.

According to a press release by the Egypt Space Agency, the Minister during his inaugural address greeted His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of the Great Country, and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prime Minister. “The Kingdom of Bahrain is pleased to host the eighth Arab Group for Space Cooperation meeting as the gathering strengthens collective Arab decisions. The conference aims to achieve the aspirations of member states to foster integration between Arab countries in various sectors, including the space sector,” the Minister added.

Also, the Minister confirmed the direction to establish a sustainable national space sector, where the recommendations and decisions issued from the meeting will contribute to the service of the Arab space sector and promote its presence globally.

‎Furthermore, the Minster explained that the meeting was held alongside the fifth edition of the Bahrain International Airshow launched today under the authority of His Majesty the King. The exhibition will attract the broad participation of space companies and agencies, led by the Saudi Space Commission, the United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA) and the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA).

The Minister also invited the attendees to the exhibition’s opening ceremonies. He encouraged them to participate in the activities, most notably the launch of the Space Forum’s first edition, which will be held on the second day of the exhibition. The launch will feature discussions on several important themes related to the space sector’s development at the public and private levels.

Additionally, Dr Sharif Sedki, the head of the Egyptian Space Agency, stated that the meeting solidifies Arab cooperation in the space industry. Thus, he noted the need to initiate a powerful Arab union in the global space sector and work towards finding solutions that support sustainable development under UAESA. According to him, “the sector’s future is promising, as the participation of different countries in the meeting in the Kingdom of Bahrain opens up excellent prospects for cooperation. Moreso, developing young people who can advance the space industry is crucial. With the integration of efforts between countries, the space sector will inevitably achieve milestones that will enhance the footprint of Arab countries in the industry”.

Also, he drew attention to the importance of the agreement signed in the meeting between Bahrain and Egypt. The agreement entails consolidating cooperation in space science and holding joint ventures in the field.

Lastly, Dr Mohammed Al-Assiri, Executive Chairman of the National Authority for Space Sciences, explained the eighth Arab Space Cooperation Group meeting held for the first time outside the state of the presidency. Beyond that, he expressed his pride in the collective action of the Kingdom of Bahrain with other countries in establishing this group. “it represents a commendable step for the Kingdom of Bahrain as it begins to take its place among Gulf countries and embrace such crucial events”.