Background

The African Outer Space Programme is one of the flagships of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 – Africa’s blueprint for socioeconomic development and integration. The programme is anchored on the African Space Policy and Strategy, which were adopted by African Heads of State and Government in January 2016. These foundational instruments articulate the overarching vision, objectives, principles, and strategic actions required to guide the development of Africa’s space sector. They further provide a continental framework for Africa’s space governance, policy positions, programmes, and international partnerships.

The adoption of the African Space Policy and Strategy was followed by significant institutional developments aimed at operationalising the continental space agenda. In January 2018, the Statute of the African Space Agency (AfSA) was adopted, formally establishing the Agency as the coordinating institution for Africa’s continental space activities. The agency’s official headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, was inaugurated in April 2025. Alongside, the African Space Council – comprising elected representatives from Africa’s five sub-regions together with representatives from the African Union Commission (AUC) – was also inaugurated, to provide strategic oversight and governance for the Agency. In addition, the establishment of the Division for Science, Technology and Space (STS) within the AUC has further strengthened institutional support for the implementation of the African outer space programme.

The year 2026 marks ten years since the adoption of this landmark continental policy and strategic framework. This milestone provides a timely opportunity to assess the progress achieved thus far, critically examine implementation challenges, and articulate a coherent, inclusive, and sustainable vision for the future of Africa’s evolving outer space ambitions and its contribution to continental development objectives.

The Call

Building on the success of the first and second editions convened in 2024 and 2025 respectively, the African Space Leadership Institute (ASLI) will host the 3rd ASLI Colloquium on the African 

Outer Space Programme in August 2026. The 2026 edition is organised around the central question: What has Africa’s space programme achieved since 2016, what challenges and gaps remain, and what priorities should shape the next decade of Africa’s space development?

The colloquium aims to provide a high-level interdisciplinary platform for dialogue, critical reflection, and knowledge exchange among academics, policymakers, industry actors, policy and legal experts, researchers, partners and collaborators, and other stakeholders engaged in Africa’s evolving space sector. It further seeks to generate evidence-based insights and policy recommendations that will contribute to informing and shaping the next phase of the African outer space programme within the broader objectives of continental development and integration.

Accordingly, ASLI hereby invites the submission of abstracts addressing topics relevant to the general colloquium theme: “Ten Years of the African Space Policy and Strategy: Status, Challenges and Future of the African Outer Space Programme.”

Objectives 

The colloquium aims to:

• review and assess the achievements and shortcomings of the African Space Policy and Strategy over the past decade
• evaluate the effectiveness of the African Outer Space Programme in supporting socio-economic development across the continent
• examine policy, institutional, technological and industrial developments within Africa’s space ecosystem
• identify policy, legal, technical and institutional gaps hindering full implementation at continental, regional and national levels
• explore emerging opportunities and strategic priorities for the next decade
• inspire collaboration and investment that supports a sustainable and competitive African space sector
• formulate strategic recommendations for the future direction of the African Outer Space Programme.

Guidelines for participation

The African Space Policy and Strategy identifies several key pillars of the African space ecosystem, including:

• Thematic focus areas – earth Observation, Satellite Communication, Navigation & Positioning, and Space Science & Astronomy
• Supporting programmes – human capital development and space awareness, industry development and support, infrastructure and international partnerships
• Functional programmes – space missions, enabling technologies, space operations and space applications
• Policy, strategy, law and governance frameworks

Contributions to the colloquium may engage with any of the above-mentioned areas or adopt interdisciplinary and intersectional approaches. Abstracts may address, but are not limited to, the following sub-themes:

• Space for sustainable development
  • Socio-economic impact of space activities in Africa
  • Satellite applications for water security and good sanitation [in line with the AU 2026 theme]
  • Space-enabled solutions for achieving Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
  • Continuity and sustainability of space programmes in Africa
• Policy, Governance and Institutions
  • Institutional, regulatory and governance frameworks and implementation
  • Coordination among the AU organs, AfSA, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and national space entities
  • Progress and challenges in implementing the African Space Policy and Strategy
• Research, education and workforce development
  • Progress in space education, training and skills development since 2016
  • Bridging skills gaps and retaining African space talent [within the sector as well as within Africa]
  • Activities of universities, research institutes and industry
  • Research collaboration, innovation ecosystems, and knowledge production
• Industry and market development
  • Space startups and private sector participation
  • Local manufacturing, upstream and downstream services
  • Space value-chain
  • Financing mechanisms for space activities
• Infrastructure development
  • Advances in satellite development, launch services and data infrastructure
  • Ground- and Space-based infrastructure
• International cooperation and strategic partnerships
  • Africa’s position in the global space arena
  • South-South and North-South cooperation models
  • Technology transfer, data sharing and capacity-building partnerships
• The next decade of the African Outer Space Programme
  • Strategic priorities for 2026–2036
  • Emerging technologies (AI, quantum communications, etc.)
  • Emerging issues (space security, sustainability, space debris, space situational awareness, etc.)
  • Building a resilient, inclusive and globally competitive African space ecosystem

Who Should Participate

The Call is open to academics, researchers, industry experts, legal and policy experts, policymakers, government officials, pace agencies, regulatory authorities, development partners, international organisations, professionals, students and all stakeholders.

Submission of abstracts

Abstracts should not exceed 250 words and must be submitted in single-spacing using 12-point Times New Roman font. Submissions should clearly demonstrate the proposed paper’s relevance to the theme and objectives of the colloquium. English shall serve as the official language of communication for the colloquium.

Authors are requested to submit their abstracts through the following online submission form: https://bit.ly/ASLI_Colloquium_AOSP3

All submitted abstracts will undergo a review process based on relevance, originality, analytical quality, and contribution to the colloquium theme. Authors will be notified of the outcome of the selection process following the review.

The colloquium will be conducted virtually and participation is open to all interested individuals, irrespective of whether an abstract is selected for presentation. Registered participants will receive the Zoom access link prior to the event. Registration and participation are free of charge.

Authors of selected abstracts will be expected to deliver an oral presentation during the colloquium and participate in the panel discussion associated with their respective session.

Selected papers may be considered for inclusion in the colloquium proceedings, subject to a review and editorial process.

In preparing submissions, authors and research groups are strongly encouraged to engage with and reference key continental policy and governance instruments, including: Agenda 2063, African Space Policy, African Space Strategy and Statute of the African Space Agency. These instruments constitute the principal normative and strategic foundations of the African Outer Space Programme.

Expected Outcomes

The colloquium is expected to generate:

• policy insights
• recommendations for updating the strategy
• flagship continental missions
• measurable continental targets
• implementation priorities for 2026–2036
• strengthened collaborations and networks
• contributions toward shaping Africa’s next decade in space

Key dates

Call for Abstracts                                                                                                26 May 2026               

Abstract submission deadline                                                                    21 June 2026               

Notification of accepted abstracts                                                         6 July 2026                   

Registration for Colloquium opens                                                          6 July 2026                             

Registration for Colloquium ends                                                            15 August 2026           

Colloquium                                                                                                             26-27 August 2026 

Deadline for submission of full papers (for proceedings)         4 October 2026      

NB: Activity deadline is 11:59pm GMT of stated day

For any enquiries, please contact info@aslispace.org