All You Need to Know About the EUR 100 Million Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme
On January 29, 2025, African and European Union representatives signed the new Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme. This initiative is a flagship component of the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy, which aims to mobilise up to EUR 100 million in investments across key sectors to promote sustainable development and build equitable global partnerships between both continents.
This new investment in Africa’s space sector will directly contribute to the Global Gateway Strategy’s goals of enhancing resilience, promoting digitalisation, and advancing climate action through cutting-edge technology and innovation.
Technologies to be Utilised in the Programme
The programme leverages European space technologies to support Africa’s sustainable development in critical sectors such as agriculture, climate monitoring, and disaster risk reduction. It relies on Copernicus for Earth observation and Galileo and EGNOS for navigation. Additionally, it supports Africa’s space ambitions through the African Space Policy and Strategy, aligning with the joint priorities outlined in the African Union – European Union Innovation Agenda. This agenda is a roadmap to strengthen Research and Innovation (R&I) cooperation between the AU and EU, fostering sustainable and inclusive development, economic growth, and job creation.
Programme Details
The first phase of the programme, valued at EUR 45 million, is implemented in collaboration with six key organisations.
Through this initiative, the EU and Africa reaffirm their commitment to working together, using space technologies as a vital tool to address shared challenges, drive economic growth, and build a sustainable and inclusive future.
The programme enhances the strategic EU-African partnership in space and related services. It is designed to facilitate sustainable growth while aligning with partners’ needs and the Agenda 2030 targets. It also supports the African Space Policy and Strategy by aiming for:
- A well-coordinated and integrated African space programme
- A positive regulatory framework
- The development of space-derived products and services
- Growth of space capabilities in both public and private sectors
Additionally, the programme aligns with the EU’s broader strategies, including the EU Space Strategy and Programme, the Green Deal, the Digital Agenda, Horizon Europe, and the climate action targets set in the NDICI-Global Europe. It also contributes to global initiatives such as the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS).
Key Components of the Programme
The first phase of the Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme will commence in early 2025, focusing on institutional and technical capacity building while fostering innovation for long-term resilience and development. The programme will have three main components:
Possible activities include promoting institutional and industrial Africa – Europe Space partnerships through possible EU-AU joint space business support schemes; capacity building such as contributing to operationalisation of the recently created African Space Agency (AfSA), effective involvement of the private sector in the space economy, enhancement community shaping across the Early Warning value chain with a focus on space-based data and technologies through improve access, processing, applicability and use of Earth Observation data, with an emphasis on meteorological data, and Numerical Weather Prediction products and services for Early Warning, etc. Specific attention will also be paid to enhance outreach on the benefits of space.
Furthermore, the initiative will directly contribute to the African-owned and African-designed Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Early Action System (AMHEWAS), coordinated by the African Union Commission (AUC). This system involves regional economic communities (RECs), Regional Climate Centres, National Disaster Management Offices (NDMOs), National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), and other stakeholders. Additionally, the programme supports the UN Secretary-General’s initiative, Early Warnings for All, which aims to equip every person on Earth with early warning systems by 2027.
Building on Previous Africa-EU Space Programmes
The Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme builds on more than two decades of EU-Africa collaboration in the space sector. The EU has already invested EUR 200 million in initiatives such as GMES & Africa. This programme adapts Copernicus Programme data and services to address Africa-specific challenges in water management, natural resources, and marine and coastal areas.
During the first phase of GMES & Africa, the programme engaged
- 122 institutions across 45 African countries
- Over 5,000 participants, including young professionals and private-sector actors
- 16 universities, six colleges, and 53 startups
Furthermore, a significant component of GMES & Africa has been capacity building and training in Earth Observation (EO) competencies. The programme has conducted approximately 100 courses, imparting EO-related knowledge to 4,932 participants over 18,899 training days. It has also awarded 46 postgraduate scholarships across many African academic institutions and universities.
The second phase of GMES & Africa, which will conclude in December 2025, prioritises policy and institutional framework development. These will be critical outputs to ensure sustainability and long-term impact.
Conclusion
The Africa-EU Space Partnership Programme is a landmark initiative that underscores Africa and the EU’s shared commitment to using space technologies to promote economic growth, climate action, and digital transformation. By building on past collaborations and introducing new investment streams, this programme will help solidify Africa’s role in the global space economy while fostering innovation and resilience across the continent.