Spatial: Ivory Coast lays the groundwork for its future national policy

The first edition of Africa Space Expo (ASPEX) opened on September 24, 2026, in Abidjan, bringing together governments, space agencies, researchers, companies, and investors to explore opportunities in the African space sector, with the United States as the guest of honor. Ivory Coast’s Director General of the Space Agency, Dr. Tidiane Ouattara, emphasized the need to strengthen skills and build a national ecosystem to develop the country’s space sector. The event highlighted the importance of using space technology to address national priorities such as agriculture, Earth observation, security, disaster management, and border surveillance, while fostering local expertise through training and nanosatellite projects.