Tentative Agenda

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Conference Day 1
25 April 2023
10:00 - 10:10
Welcome address - Commissioner of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI), AUC
By Professor Mohammed Belhocine Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI) of the African Union
10:10 - 10:30
Welcome address - Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Cote d'Ivoire
By Prof. Adama Diawara Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; Ivory Coast
10:30 - 11:00
Coffee break and exhibition opening
11:00 - 11:15
Keynote - Update on the African space policy and strategy implementation
By Mr Hambani Masheleni Acting Director of the Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, African Union Commission
11:15 - 11:30
Keynote - Overview of the African space agency
By Dr Tidiane Ouattara African Union Commission Space Science Expert, GMES & Africa Program Coordinator
11:30 - 12:45
Status updates on African space agencies' activities - Cohort 1
By Dr Akram A. Alkasih General director of the Libyan Center for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences , Prof. Dickson Adomako Director of the Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute (GSSTI), Dr. Sherif Sedky Chief Executive Officer of the Egyptian Space Agency, Col Francis Ngabo Chief Executive Officer, Rwanda Space Agency, Dr Zolana Joao General Manager, Angolan Space Management Office
12:45 - 14:00
Status updates on African space agencies' activities - Cohort 2
By Amal Layachi Department Head, Training and Cooperation, Royal Center for Remote Sensing Space, Morocco, Mr Ziyaad Soreefan Aerospace Engineer, Mauritius Research and Innovation Council, Dr Aboubakar Mambimba Ndjoungui Deputy Director-General of the Gabonese Agency for Space Studies and Observations (AGEOS), Dr Halilu Ahmad Shaba Director General of the Nigerian National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Painos Gweme Coordinator of the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA)
14:00 - 15:00
Lunch
15:00 - 16:15
Status updates on African space agencies' activities - Cohort 3
By Dr Gayane Faye Coordinator of the Senegal Space Program , Mr Aboubaker Hassan Secretary General of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research of the Republic of Djibouti., Brigadier Hillary Biwott Kipkosgey Acting DG/CEO Kenya Space Agency, Mr Fernand Bale Director, Côte d’Ivoire Geographic and Digital Information Center (CIGN)
16:15 - 17:30
Status updates on African space agencies' activities - Cohort 4
By Prof Frédéric Ouattara Former Minister of Higher Education, Burkina Faso; Project Lead, BurkinaSat-1, Dr Doreen Agaba Technical lead, Department of Aeronautics and Space Science, the Science Technology and Innovation Secretariat, Uganda., Dr Lisho C. Mundia Director of Research and Innovation in the Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation, Government of the Republic of Namibia, Dr Yeshurun Alemayehu Adde Deputy Director-General, Ethiopian Space Science & Technology Institute (ESSTI)
17:30 - 18:00
Coffee break and exhibition

Conference Day 2
26 April 2023
09:00 - 09:10
Welcome address - Chairman of the General Confederation of Côte d'Ivoire Companies
By Ahmed Cissé Chairman of the General Confederation of Côte d'Ivoire Companies (CGECI)
09:10 - 09:20
Welcome address - Commissioner Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI), AUC
By Professor Mohammed Belhocine Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI) of the African Union
09:20 - 09:30
Welcome address - Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Ivory Coast
By Amadou Coulibaly Minister of Communication and Digital Economy; Ivory Coast
09:30 - 09:45
Keynote -Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Côte d’Ivoire
By Prof. Adama Diawara Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; Ivory Coast
09:45 - 10:00
Welcome address - Minister of State and Defense of Côte d’Ivoire
By Mr Tene Birahima Ouattara Minister of State and Defence; Ivory Coast
10:00 - 10:10
Keynote address - Update on the African outer space program
By Dr Tidiane Ouattara African Union Commission Space Science Expert, GMES & Africa Program Coordinator
10:10 - 11:00
Ministerial Panel
By Andiswa Mlisa Former CEO, South African National Space Agency, Mário Augusto da Silva Oliveira Minister of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication; Angola, Prof. Adama Diawara Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; Ivory Coast, Professor Mohammed Belhocine Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI) of the African Union
11:00 - 12:00
Startup award/Exhibition/Coffee break
12:00 - 12:45
Small satellites - opportunities, risks and potentials for Africans
By Dr Ayman Ahmed Head of Space Imaging Department, Egyptian Space Agency, David du Toit David du Toit, Business Advisor, Dragonfly Aerospace, Dr Gayane Faye Coordinator of the Senegal Space Program , Mr Ziyaad Soreefan Aerospace Engineer, Mauritius Research and Innovation Council
12:45 - 13:30
Space for sustainable development in Africa
By Professor Kouadio Affian Former Vice-President, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, Professor Cheikh Mbow Director-General, Ecological Monitoring Center (CSE), Andre Nonguierma Chief of the Geospatial Information Management Section, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
13:30 - 14:30
Lunch
14:30 - 15:30
Panel
By Dr Mahama Ouedraogo Former Director of the Department of Education Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI), African Union Commission, Professor Cheikh Mbow Director-General, Ecological Monitoring Center (CSE), Mr Hambani Masheleni Acting Director of the Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, African Union Commission, Dr Halilu Ahmad Shaba Director General of the Nigerian National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr Peter Martinez Executive Director of the Secure World Foundation
15:30 - 15:40
Keynote - Space security
By Brigadier General Thierry Blanc Deputy General of the French Space Command
15:40 - 16:30
Importance of space security in Africa
By Stéphane Konan Former advisor at the Ministry of Defense, Côte d'Ivoire and Founder, Shield Africa, Julia Selman Ayetey Dean of the Faculty of Law, the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, Brigadier General Thierry Blanc Deputy General of the French Space Command, Brigadier Hillary Biwott Kipkosgey Acting DG/CEO Kenya Space Agency, Dr Peter Martinez Executive Director of the Secure World Foundation

Conference Day 3
27 April 2023
09:00 - 09:15
Keynote
By Dr Peter Martinez Executive Director of the Secure World Foundation
09:15 - 10:00
Policies and regulations for accelerating industry growth
By Etim Offiong Head of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Division, ARCSSTE-E), Dr Arlette Tanga Founder, African Association of Air and Space Law (AADAS), Dr Peter Martinez Executive Director of the Secure World Foundation
10:00 - 10:45
Advancing public-private partnerships and international collaborations
By Andiswa Mlisa Former CEO, South African National Space Agency, Andre Nonguierma Chief of the Geospatial Information Management Section, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Hazuki Mori Space Applications Expert, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) , Dr Emmanuel Nkurunziza Director General of the Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD)
10:45 - 11:15
Coffee break
11:15 - 12:00
Doing space business in Africa - our experience and perspective
12:00 - 12:45
Investments and funding for private sector development in Africa: opportunities, lessons learned
By Dr. Jean-Denis Gabikini Head of Economic Development, Integration and Trade, African Union Commission, Professor George Wiafe Marine Scientist, Prof Issouf SOUMARÉ Director, Laboratory for Financial Engineering of Université Laval (LABIFUL)
12:45 - 13:30
Towards revamping the space curricula in African Academia
By Prof. Paul Baki Professor of Physics, Technical University of Kenya, Dr Janvier Fotsing Associate Professor of Space Telecommunications, University of Yaoundé, Prof Frédéric Ouattara Former Minister of Higher Education, Burkina Faso; Project Lead, BurkinaSat-1, Dr Taiwo Tejumola Assistant Professor of Space Systems Engineering, International Space University
13:30 - 14:30
Lunch
14:30 - 15:15
The role of satellites in building a connected Africa
By Dr Abimbola Alale Former Managing Director, NigComSat, Dr Zolana Joao General Manager, Angolan Space Management Office, Mamadou Sarr Managing Director, RASCOM

This panel will discuss how satellite broadband connectivity will drive the socio-economic growth of the continent and develop pathways that will include remote areas and communities to take accelerated strides. This panel will also discuss Africa’s under-connectivity and analyse how to provide strong connections on a continent where the majority of the lands are landlocked. Also, discussions will highlight the routes 5G networks can foster the creation of initiatives and programmes and ways of minimizing the expenses and obstacles of adopting the network.
15:15 - 16:00
GNSS as a catalyst to space-based applications development in Africa
By Dr Lasisi Salami Lawal Acting General Manager, Directorate of Technical Services, NIGCOMSAT, Mr Semou Diouf Director at SatNav Africa Joint Programme Office
16:00 - 17:00
Coffee break/Exhibition/Networking

Conference Day 4
28 April 2023
09:00 - 09:15
Keynote
09:15 - 10:00
Optimising regional blocs for innovation and development in the African space industry
By Dr El-Hadi Gashut Director-General, the Regional Center for Remote Sensing of North Africa States, CRTEAN, Dr Zolana Joao General Manager, Angolan Space Management Office, Mamadou Sarr Managing Director, RASCOM, Dr Tidiane Ouattara African Union Commission Space Science Expert, GMES & Africa Program Coordinator
10:00 - 10:45
Collaborating with Africa- the international organisations' perspective
By Dr Cui Yufu Chief Engineer and Project Manager at DFH Satellite Co., Ltd, CAST, Giuseppe Borghi Head of the Phi-Lab Division at the European Space Agency
10:45 - 11:45
Exhibition and coffee break
11:45 - 12:30
Role of academia in the African space programme
By Prof. Kamal Labbassi President, African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE), Amal Layachi Department Head, Training and Cooperation, Royal Center for Remote Sensing Space, Morocco, Prof. Nana Ama Browne Klutse Associate Professor of Physics, University of Ghana
12:30 - 13:15
Perspective from the next generation
By Dr Marie Korsaga Lecturer, Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkina Faso

This panel will discuss both theoretical and practical ways to attract young Africans to the industry. It will highlight the course of action to ensure funding, infrastructure, capacity building and incentives through networking programs, accelerators and incubators, and paid and unpaid internships, amongst others, to avoid brain drain and an underdeveloped space sector.
13:15 - 14:15
Lunch
14:15 - 15:00
Space climate change and disaster risk reduction
By Dr Assize Toure Former Director-General, Ecological Monitoring Center (CSE), Col Francis Ngabo Chief Executive Officer, Rwanda Space Agency, Brigadier Hillary Biwott Kipkosgey Acting DG/CEO Kenya Space Agency

Tentative Agenda

Conference Day 1

Welcome address - Commissioner of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI), AUC

Welcome address - Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Cote d'Ivoire

Coffee break and exhibition opening

Keynote - Update on the African space policy and strategy implementation

Keynote - Overview of the African space agency

Status updates on African space agencies' activities - Cohort 1

Status updates on African space agencies' activities - Cohort 2

Lunch

Status updates on African space agencies' activities - Cohort 3

Status updates on African space agencies' activities - Cohort 4

Coffee break and exhibition

Conference Day 2

Welcome address - Chairman of the General Confederation of Côte d'Ivoire Companies

Welcome address - Commissioner Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI), AUC

Welcome address - Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Ivory Coast

Keynote -Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Côte d’Ivoire

Welcome address - Minister of State and Defense of Côte d’Ivoire

Keynote address - Update on the African outer space program

Ministerial Panel

Startup award/Exhibition/Coffee break

Small satellites - opportunities, risks and potentials for Africans

Space for sustainable development in Africa

Lunch

Panel

Keynote - Space security

Importance of space security in Africa

Conference Day 3

Keynote

Policies and regulations for accelerating industry growth

Advancing public-private partnerships and international collaborations

Coffee break

Doing space business in Africa - our experience and perspective

Investments and funding for private sector development in Africa: opportunities, lessons learned

Towards revamping the space curricula in African Academia

Lunch

The role of satellites in building a connected Africa

GNSS as a catalyst to space-based applications development in Africa

Coffee break/Exhibition/Networking

Conference Day 4

Keynote

Optimising regional blocs for innovation and development in the African space industry

Collaborating with Africa- the international organisations' perspective

Exhibition and coffee break

Role of academia in the African space programme

Perspective from the next generation

Lunch

Space climate change and disaster risk reduction