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UAE to host Abu Dhabi Space Debate in December, says President

Two-day conference to address issues facing growth and innovation in industry

Staff Reporter

Abu Dhabi will host a global forum that will address the need for international cooperation and collaboration in the development of the space sector.

The Abu Dhabi Space Debate will take place on December 5 and 6.

The UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, tweeted that the event is a platform to facilitate dialogue and "aims to strengthen cooperation, formulate new international policies and develop solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in the global space sector".

Organised by the UAE Space Agency, the two-day conference will see business leaders and policy makers come together and forge "real consensus" to address the issues facing growth and innovation in space.

It would be a platform to review the opportunities and challenges facing the sector and aims to advance not only global dialogue and collaboration between nations but also forge concrete alliances and multilateral agreements.

Sarah bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, Chair of the UAE Space Agency and the Abu Dhabi Space Debate Committee, said: “We are seeing a huge expansion in organisations developing space capabilities and potential, but that growth in the sector brings challenges, ranging from preservation of national interests through to the regulation of private sector players. The Abu Dhabi Space Debate aims to create a global platform that will bring together a diverse and challenging audience and forge concrete progress in advancing international cooperation, standards and policy-setting for the space sector.”

The Emirates’ space sector alone is a vibrant and fast-growing area of economic growth, with the country operating 19 Earth-orbiting satellites with a further 10 under development. With over 50 organisations and institutions and five research centres for space sciences and the development of a strong educational sector in space sciences, research and engineering, the Emirates has committed to long-term interplanetary exploration missions and the accelerated development of its emerging private sector space ecosystem.

“As we implement our long-term ambitions in space, the first steps of which are clearly outlined in our National Space Strategy 2030, we cannot over-emphasise the importance of international collaboration to our plans. Our space programme has been built on such collaboration, with partners in Europe, South Korea, the US, Japan and elsewhere. We have been keen to embrace international efforts to work together on common goals and objectives, and we’re committed to supporting efforts from the Artemis Accords to the United Nations Guidelines for the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities. This Debate will form an important element of that commitment,” said Al Amiri.