Côte d’Ivoire Becomes Ninth African Nation to Sign the Artemis Accords
Côte d’Ivoire has signed the Artemis Accords, making it the ninth African nation and the 75th country overall to join the US-led framework for civil space exploration. Adama Diawara, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, signed on behalf of Côte d’Ivoire on 24 September 2026 in Abidjan, during the Africa Space Expo (ASPEX 2026). Junaid Munir, Chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy, witnessed the signing on behalf of the US Department of State.
“The United States and Côte d’Ivoire already cooperate on Earth. Today, we expand that partnership beyond it. Joining the Artemis Accords opens new opportunities for our scientists,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson.
“This is a great achievement, and important for Côte d’Ivoire’s ambitions and for the rest of the African Union members,” said H.E. Dr Tidiane Ouattara, Director General of the Space Agency of Côte d’Ivoire (ASCI).
From Earth Observation Partner to Accords Signatory
Côte d’Ivoire set up its national Space Agency in 2025. Its work with NASA goes back further: since 2019, the two have cooperated on Earth observation and geodetic measurement. Signing the Accords turns that technical relationship into a formal commitment to the principles behind the Artemis programme: peaceful exploration, transparency, emergency assistance, open sharing of scientific data, avoiding harmful interference, and preserving historic sites in space.
Côte d’Ivoire signed at ASPEX 2026, a continental space gathering on its own soil. That choice ties its entry into the framework to its wider push to become a convening hub for the African space sector.
Africa’s Artemis Momentum Continues
Côte d’Ivoire signed ten days after Djibouti became the eighth African signatory on 14 September. African participation has picked up sharply in 2026. Nigeria and Rwanda signed in December 2022, followed by Angola in November 2023 and Senegal in July 2025. Four African countries, Morocco (April), Botswana (June), Mauritius (July) and Djibouti (September), joined in the first nine months of 2026, and Côte d’Ivoire now makes five this year.
With nine signatories, Africa now makes up about 12% of the 75 nations in the Accords. NASA, the US Department of State, and seven founding nations established the Accords in 2020.