Eswatini Explores Establishment of a National Space Agency

The Kingdom of Eswatini has signed a Declaration of Intent with Stardust, a Canadian Space Company, to explore the possibilities of establishing a national space agency. The declaration was signed in New York by Minister of Information, Communications and Technology, Savannah Maziya and Stardust founder and CEO, Jason Michaud, in the presence of His Majesty King Mswati III. Furthermore, the proposed agency would operate under the Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP) and is envisioned as a platform for education, youth innovation, and sustainable development.

Under the agreement, the RSTP will serve as the implementing agency, reflecting a shared commitment to use space as a driver of sustainability, opportunity, and prosperity. Additionally, the partnership outlines six key areas of collaboration:

1. Space Agency Exploration: Exploring the establishment of the Kingdom of Eswatini Space Agency (KESA) as a national hub for space education, innovation, and cooperation.
2. Space Academy Development: Supporting the establishment of a Space Academy aligned with national education frameworks.
3. Youth Engagement: Providing scholarships, innovation challenges, and mentorship to connect Eswatini’s students with global opportunities in the space industry.
4. Public Outreach: Organising festivals, workshops, and cultural exchanges to promote awareness of space technologies.
5. Programme Development: Working collaboratively to define concrete programmes, policies, and frameworks for a sustainable partnership.
6. Regional Space Leadership: Advancing Eswatini’s ambition to become a regional leader in space innovation, climate action, and youth empowerment.

The parties agreed that the declaration represents a first step towards formalising their collaboration and will jointly develop an MoU, or a similar framework. Furthermore, this will be used to guide long-term projects, including potential investments, infrastructure development, and international cooperation. In addition, Stardust expressed interest in leveraging its international partnerships with organisations such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Lockheed Martin, and Blue Origin to support Eswatini’s advancement within the global space ecosystem.