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Rabat – A Moroccan delegation on a working trip to Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, signed the Arab Space Cooperation Group’s basic charter on August 26.
The Moroccan delegation was led by Driss Al Haddani, the Director General of Morocco’s Royal Centre for Remote Space Sensing. It was Ibrahim Al-Qasim, the Space Science Advisor at the UAE Space Agency, who welcomed the delegation and praised the strong bilateral relations between the two countries, reads a press release.
UAE’s Vice President and Prime Minister, as well as the Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, founded the Arab Space Cooperation Group in 2019. There are currently 14 member states working together to further coordinate regional space efforts, namely the UAE, Morocco, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Tunisia.
“Morocco is proud to be a founding member of the Arab Space Cooperation Group and signing its basic charter is an important step forward in creating a unified regional vision,” said Al Haddani, adding that “today’s ratification is a further indication of the strong bilateral relations between our two countries in all fields, especially the new frontier of space.”
Al-Qasim was equally pleased about Morocco joining the charter, stressing that it will act as a mechanism to enable partner countries to implement and accelerate joint initiatives all while establishing a unified vision for the region.
He added that it is by emphasizing cooperation that the partner countries can find new ways and new opportunities for achieving economic growth, encourage space exploration, and develop “cutting-edge” innovations.
In the wake of steady space-related developments by both countries, an effort is being made to enhance cooperation in the sector, according to the press release. Morocco has several satellites in Earth’s orbit, while the UAE’s Hope Probe entered Mars’ orbit in February 2021,
Through joint cooperation, the organization can help countries develop their own space agencies and programs, as well as facilitate the exchange of knowledge, benefiting all participants in the long-run.
