Senegal Joins Space4Ocean Alliance to Strengthen Ocean Protection Through Space Technologies
Senegal has officially joined the International Space4Ocean Alliance, a new global coalition aimed at harnessing space-based technologies for the preservation and sustainable management of the world’s oceans. The announcement was made during the alliance’s official launch on 9 June 2025, held at the Côte d’Azur Observatory in Nice, France, on the margins of the third United Nations Conference on Oceans (UNOC3).
Representing Senegal, Maram Kaire, the Director General of the Senegalese Agency for Space Studies (ASES), signed the Alliance’s Declaration of Interest, marking the country’s commitment to supporting global efforts that connect the space and maritime sectors. With this signature, Senegal becomes one of over 30 international entities aligned in the mission to apply satellite data, in situ measurements, and advanced modelling tools to monitor and protect marine and coastal environments.
Participating organisations in the alliance span a diverse cross-section of national space agencies, scientific institutions, and oceanographic bodies. Among them are the European Space Agency (ESA), the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the UK Space Agency, the Brazilian Space Agency, the Norwegian Space Agency, the Kenya Space Agency, and the Gabonese Agency for Space Studies and Observations (AGEOS), as well as major research institutions such as CNRS, IRD, and Ifremer.
About Space4Ocean Alliance
The Space4Ocean Alliance, an initiative led by the French Space Agency (CNES), aims to strengthen coordination between space and ocean communities to support evidence-based policy, sustainable maritime development, and climate resilience. It directly contributes to global frameworks, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with a specific focus on SDG 14: Life Below Water.
The launch event brought together key international figures in science, diplomacy, and space, including Aarti Holla-Maini, Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA); Philippe Baptiste, former President of CNES and current French Minister for Higher Education and Research; European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet; and Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Monaco. The ceremony was presided over by Mayor Christian Estrosi of Nice, underscoring the strategic and symbolic importance of the Côte d’Azur region in advancing Earth and ocean sciences.
Senegal’s participation in the Alliance reflects its growing role in global space diplomacy and its intent to leverage satellite capabilities to sustain its coastal ecosystems and broader marine heritage. Through ASES, the country is positioning itself as both a contributor to and a beneficiary of collaborative space-based environmental monitoring efforts.