Axelspace Announces the Addis Ababa Declaration to Advance Satellite Data Utilisation
Axelspace Corporation, a leading developer and operator of microsatellites, announced the Addis Ababa Declaration on space business co-creation and satellite data utilisation for sustainable socioeconomic development in Africa. The announcement was made at the Ethiopia–Japan Space Data Utilisation Workshop, held in Addis Ababa, the capital of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, on April 17, in collaboration with Cross U of Japan and Jethi Software Development PLC, an Ethiopian technology company.
The Declaration presented a concrete implementation of the “co-creation of innovative solutions” established by the Yokohama Declaration at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in August 2025 to promote the social implementation of Japanese Earth observation (EO) data, in cooperation with local partners, to address social challenges in African nations.
Click here to read the full text of the Declaration.
Key Elements of the Declaration
- A Decisive Transition to the Implementation Phase: Cooperation in the space sector between Japan and Ethiopia has progressed to a private-sector-led commercial implementation. Pilot projects will be executed, focusing on precision agriculture and sustainable and responsible mineral resource management.
- Empowerment of Local Ecosystems and Respect for Data Sovereignty: Led by Jethi, a domestic platform will be developed to ensure that satellite data is translated into actionable, context-specific intelligence aligned with Ethiopia’s societal and institutional needs, while fostering the growth of autonomous local space-related industries.
- Establishment and Propagation of a Pan-African Reference Architecture: The public-private collaborative framework established in Ethiopia will serve as a reference model and be expanded to other African countries. It will also be applied to fields such as climate resilience, disaster risk management, and urban planning, contributing to economic growth and technological self-reliance across the region.
- Commitment to Continuous Dialogue and Global Progress Reporting: The Declaration was further showcased at the NewSpace Africa Conference 2026 in Gabon, and its progress will be formally reported to the global community at the space business event “NIHONBASHI SPACE WEEK 2026” in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, starting November 30.
“We view this Declaration as the embodiment of a new co-creation model for satellite data utilisation. Leveraging the foundation we have developed and working with local partners who bring deep understanding of local needs and expertise in stakeholder coordination, we will transform satellite data into actionable intelligence for decision-making and build mechanisms that directly help solve societal challenges,” commented Yuya Nakamura, President and CEO of Axelspace Corporation.
About Axelspace
Guided by its vision, “Space within Your Reach”, Axelspace has been at the forefront of microsatellite innovation since its founding in 2008. Leveraging cutting-edge expertise in microsatellite design, manufacturing, and on-orbit operations, the company is redefining how people and industries access space. Its flagship businesses, AxelLiner, which provides satellite development and operation services to help customers realise their space missions, and AxelGlobe, which delivers Earth observation data through Axelspace’s proprietary optical satellite constellation, are driving a new era of space utilisation. Through these initiatives, Axelspace is shaping a future where space is accessible and within reach for everyone.