The African Space Leadership Congress (ASLC) is an African high-level annual meeting which involves politicians, space leaders and advocates; space researchers, academia; youth, space vendors; stakeholders in the private and public space sectors, professional societies; entrepreneurs and space institutions in the globe. The goals of the congress include:
- Encouraging greater regional and intra-African cooperation in space science and technology by serving as a think-tank for developing strategies and projects;
- Informing and coordinating greater cooperation between and among relevant institutions, agencies and governments;
- Identifying flagship programs to be considered, adopted and implemented at various levels across member states, regional economic communities and the AU, and;
- Assisting in the development of an indigenous space industrial capability through promoting greater public-private partnerships.
Engaging women and the youth for the development of future African space leaders is also another ASLC’s goal.
The 8th African Space Leadership Congress (ASLC) on Space Science and Technology for Sustainable Development, themed “Prospects and Challenges of African Space Development”, will be conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from December 2 to December 4, 2019. The congress is aimed at capitalising the efforts of African nations to address key socio-economic challenges through space technology and harnessing the opportunities that space science and technology could provide.
The main focus areas of this congress are: assessment of space programmes in Africa, space research and development; space policy, strategy and implementation and participation of the youth and women in aerospace. Other issues like the voice of Africa towards equity in utilisation of space resources, space commerce and entrepreneurship, space for peace and diplomacy, as well as collaboration in space will also be discussed. The congress will serve as a primary and empirical platform for political leaders, space agencies, space vendors, entrepreneurs, scientists, engineers and technologists, regional and international space institutions to address major issues. It will also link and network Africa with the rest of the world and allow the showcasing of space products and services.
The 8th ASLC is expected to have about 300 participants, which would comprise distinguished professionals, politicians, business people and companies of the space industry, youths and women from all African countries and international collaborating nations, as well as the public and private space institutions.
The congress is expected to come forth with an adopted constitution that will govern the members, the congress and the secretariat, a resolution that contains fundamental decisions and directions for future action, proceedings of the congress and the way forward, as well as recommendations for member countries, African space institutions, vendors and the global space community. The ASLC will also create business opportunities to expand the market for the space industry.
To register for the ASLC, click here
Alemiye Mamo Local Organizing Committee (LOC) chairperson Director, East Africa Astronomy for Development(EA-ROAD)
