President of the Council of African Space Agency Pays Courtesy Call on Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Accra, Ghana
On 25th August 2025, the President of the Council of the African Space Agency (AfSA), H.E. Dr. Tidiane Ouattara, paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation (MoCDTI), Hon. Samuel Nartey George, during his visit to Ghana. Dr. Ouattara was received by the Hon. Mohammed Adam Sukparu, Deputy Minister, on behalf of the Hon. Minister. The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between Ghana and AfSA, which is headquartered in Egypt.
In attendance were Dr. Eric Asuman, Director General of the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet), and his team (Ag. Deputy Director General for Operations Dr. Ignatius Kweku Williams and the External Relations Officer, Ms. Maureen Abla Ahiataku), Mr. Suleman Salifu, the Acting Deputy Director General for Technical Operations of the National Communication Authority (NCA), as well as Dr. Dogbeda Azumah, the Personal Assistance to the President of the Council of AfSA.
The Deputy Minister welcomed Dr. Ouattara and expressed appreciation for his leadership in advancing space missions across Africa. He highlighted the crucial role of space technology, particularly satellites, in key areas of Ghana's development, including communication, innovation, and early warning systems. He emphasized the critical need for African nations to collaborate and leverage space technology for development, citing its benefits for agriculture, security, disaster risk reduction, meteorological services, and urban planning. The Deputy Minister also affirmed Ghana's readiness to support AfSA's mandate.
Dr. Ouattara congratulated Ghana's President and the new government on their efforts to strengthen the nation's socio-economic development. He specifically commended Ghana for the successful development and launch of its Space Policy, calling it a significant step toward harnessing initiatives to advance space technology on the continent. He expressed his satisfaction with the progress made by several African countries in developing space science and taking control of their own destinies. Dr. Ouattara noted that while infrastructure is crucial for supporting existing knowledge and skills, there is a broader challenge: research indicates that approximately 98% of the revenue generated from Africa's space sector leaves the continent, with only 2% remaining. He stressed the ko importance of strengthening collaboration across the continent to utilize its abundant resources for national and continental development through space science and technology. Dr. Ouattara commended GMet and University of Ghana’s collaboration under the GMES & Africa project on the provision early warning to reduce risk at sea. This is a good story and model to share with other countries on the continent.
The Director-General of the Ghana Meteorological Agency, Dr. Eric Asuman, highlighted GMet’s partnership in the GMES & Africa project, led by the University of Ghana in collaboration with the African Union Commission and supported by the EU. Under this initiative, fishermen receive marine forecasts via a short code system, enabling them to make informed decisions on when it is safe to go to sea. This has already led to a reduction in deaths and damage to canoes. Dr. Asuman described the project as life-saving and a model that could be replicated across Africa and acknowledged Dr. Quatarra as the brain behind the GMES and Africa project before he was elevated to his present position as the president of AfSA.
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