Fernand Guy Isseri has been Elected as the Ninth Member of the African Space Council

Key Highlight

• Fernand Guy Isseri from Cameroon was elected the ninth member of the African Space Council for a four-year term.
• The African Union Executive Council has postponed the election of the tenth member of the African Space Council till February 2025.

The African Union Executive Council concluded its 45th Ordinary Session in Ghana on July 19, 2024, following discussions on key issues to advance the continent’s political and socio-economic development and integration. The two-day ministerial meeting also included the election and appointment of officials to various African Union organs and institutions, including the African Space Council.

According to the African Space Agency statutes, the African Space Council aims to consist of ten members from African Union Commission member states and ensure gender balance. In February 2024, the African Space Council inaugurated eight elected members. The appointees include Dr Tidiane Ouattara from Côte d’Ivoire, serving as President; Dr Rakiya Babamaaji from Nigeria, as Vice President; and six additional members: Thandikile Chisala Mbvundula from Malawi, Dr Lisho Mundia from Namibia, Amal Layachi from Morocco, Aboubaker Hassan Ali from Djibouti, Dr Éliane Ubalijoro from Rwanda, and Amin Mestar from Algeria.

There was no representation from Central Africa.

To ensure the proper representation of the council, the African Space Council elected Fernand Guy Isseri (Cameroon) as the ninth member for a four-year term. However, they postponed the election of a female member from the Central Region. The ministers urged Member States of the Central Region to submit female candidates, with the election scheduled for the Executive Council session in February 2025.

Africa Space Council

The Council’s primary mission is to advance the operationalisation of the African Space Agency, inaugurated in January 2023. The Council will also be responsible for coordinating the activities of the African Space Agency, guiding continental space policymaking, allocating resources, overseeing regulations, and managing African space industry stakeholders, including governments and international partners, to facilitate favourable partnerships in space science and technology.

Furthermore, the Council will ensure that investments align strategically with continental objectives, including those outlined in Africa 2063, prioritising advancements in space exploration, research, technology, and indigenous capacity development. Moreover, the African Space Council will facilitate collaboration in space exploration and research through local, regional, continental, and international cooperation, promoting mutual benefits and peaceful endeavours for all Africans. 

About Fernand Guy Isseri 

Fernand Guy Isseri has been an Assistant Director at the National Institute of Cartography since 2002 and currently oversees Geospatial Data Processing and Dissemination at the National Mapping Institute in Cameroon. He also serves as the Co-Chair of the High-Level Group of the Integrated Geospatial Information Framework. 

He holds a Master’s Certificate in Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems from CRASTE-LF, Morocco (2003-2004), and a Master’s 2 (M2) in Climatology-Environment from the University of Yaoundé I (2002-2006).