During a state visit to Egypt by the Minister of Industries and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, the President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), Teodoro Valente and the CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency (EgSA), Dr Sherif Mohamed Sedky, signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen space collaboration between both entities in the presence of Minister Urso.

The MoU aims to encourage long-term investments and partnerships between ASI and EgSa and facilitate investments in the space sector by other stakeholders in the industry, which together with the space agencies, could develop projects and initiatives of common interest in Africa and internationally.

According to Minister Urso, “The agreement signed today is strategic for the development of innovative technologies that pervade more and more industrial sectors. Africa, the continent of the future, is central to the development of the space sector, as demonstrated by our base in Malindi which could potentially be used by companies. African countries, which finally also want to compete in one of the most important sectors of the society of the future.”

The agreement also details Egypt and Italy’s plan to increase cooperation projects in space science and technology and capacity development of both countries. Other potential cooperation aspects include Earth observation and remote sensing for climate change, space applications for sustainable development and national economy, capacity-building projects and specialist training initiatives. This partnership agreement will also encourage joint space projects between other Egyptian and Italian organisations.