Space Activities and

Space Law situation in Africa

1st June 2017, Luxembourg

Riffi Temsamani M. S.

Royal Center for Remote Sensing

1

6th Luxembourg Workshop on Space and Satellite Communication Law

Space Serving the Earth: Regulatory Framework in Africa

1 – Space law situation and space activities in Africa

2 – Example of Morocco

- Introduction

- COPUOS and African participation

A : Space activities in Morocco

2

- African space law situation

B : Space Law in Morocco

3 – Conclusion : How to promote space law in Africa

- Remote Sensing in Africa

3

Introduction

Space law is an important function in international cooperation, providing space

activities with guidance, and its development takes many forms over the years

The increasing commercial use of space , necessitates that policy and law makers

become aware of the need for and ways of regulating such activities

The importance of preserving the space environment and protecting outer space

from human activities, should be emphasized through the Space Law enforcement.

The promotion of regional cooperation on space law capacity building and

technologies is necessary for economic growth and sustainable development.

1 – Space law and space activities in Africa

Some major treaties elements :

Free access to space and all areas of celestial bodies to all countries and

no national appropriation or claims of sovereignty

4

The United Nations has so far adopted five treaties and eight sets of principles on

Outer Space

The role of U. N. is to promote peaceful exploration and cooperation

States parties shall inform the UN / S-G, the public, and the international scientific

community of their activities involving exploration and use of the moon

Any party may propose amendments to those treaties which will be accepted

Upon a majority vote

The operations and use of Outer Space must be consistent with international law and the UN Charter

The legal subcommittee of the COPUOS has discussed various aspects of

international space law, and plays an important role for enhancing international

cooperation in space law , specially in developing countries

COPUOS* and African participation

The UN/COPUOS has a current membership of 84 states of which 19 are African

Only 4 to 6 of those African membership are regularly present in the legal

subcommittee of the COPUOS

Less interest; no space activities existing in a major of African countries

Lack of awareness of the space law governing the outer space activities

No space law curricula in the African Universities and no specialized institutions in

those countries 5

This is due to

*Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space

6

5

30

24

24

7

4

Participation rate in the last LSC session (April 2017)

Africa (54)

Europe(46)

Asia (44)

America (35)

Oceania (14)

OG+ONG

Legal sub-committee and African participation rate

This graph shows that this year (2017), Africa was represented on the legal sub-committee by only 5 countries

This result is identical for other entities specialized in space activities.

This lack of interest can also be explained by the lack of financial resources experienced by most African countries........

States of Members Space institutions Copuos Member Treaties ratified National space

law

Morocco

Algeria

Nigeria

Kenya

CRTS - CRERS

ASAL

Since 1961

Since 2002

since 1958

5 ratified

3 ratifiedDecrees covering several aspects of space activity

-------------

In Preparation

In Preparation

Yes

Egypt 2 ratified

1 signedNARSS

The situation of Space law in Africa :

Example of African countries using space technology

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South Africa

DRSRSDepartment of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing

NASRDA

2 ratified

4 ratified

4 ratified

Since 1973

Since 1994

Since 1973

National Authority For Remote Sensing & Space Sciences

SANSASouth Africa National Space Agency

National Space Research and Dev. Agency

Decrees covering several aspects of space activity

Ratification of the 5 treaties : Case of African countries :

This graph shows the very low rate of

ratification in Africa

8

2015 15

410

5

10

15

20

25

OST ARRA LIAB REG MOON

states

The five treaties in the 54African countries

Comparison with Asian States

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Africa Asia

OST

ARRA

LIAB

REG

MOON

This graphic shows that ratification of the

five Space treaties is higher in Asia than in Africa

This is explained by extensive use of space technology and its applications in Asian countries

In Asia, during the last decade several national institutions and specialized agencies in the field of space have been set up to promote science and technology in space

Regional Centers for Space Science and Technology Education

Affiliated to the UN

These regional centers were recommended by the COPUOS and

approved by the G.A in its resolution 45/72 of 11 December 1990

The role of these regional centers, is to promote space science and

technology education in developing countries

The host countries for the African centers are :

Morocco (French speaking countries), and

Nigeria (English speaking countries )

During its participation in the sessions of the Legal Subcommittee, Morocco has

always advocated the integration of space law into the curricula of regional

centers.

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Indeed, since 2007, Morocco through the CRTS has supported the teaching of

Space Law at the Masters of the Regional Center of Rabat.

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Remote sensing In Africa

Several national institutions in Africa have been established forsatellite data processing……….

Most of these institutions were set up with the support ofInternational partners In the framework of cooperation projects

Depending on countries needs and priorities, various applications indifferent domains were implemented such as in agriculture, hydrology,and natural resource management, in general to support developmentpolicies of each country.

To strengthen endogenous capacities of these institutions majorefforts were undertaken in terms of training and capacity buildingprograms.

Ambitious R&D programs on space techniques and remote sensingwere implemented in the African universities in the internationalcooperation framework.

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Remote Sensing Applications in Africa

The applications of remote sensing are numerous in Africa, several areas are concerned, such as:

- Food Security

- Risk management / Floods

- Monitoring Pastoral Dynamics

- Agricultural Statistics

- Agricultural Insurance

- Early warning systems for food security

- Urban Planning

- Land occupation

- Mapping

II - Space activities and space law in Morocco

National institutions to promote space activities

A - Space Activities in Morocco

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Two national institutions

The Royal Center for Space Research and Studies : CRERS

o its first experience : Micro Sat launch in 2001

o was created to develop the Moroccan space technology

o Mission : remote sensing, communications and position

II - Space activities and space law in Morocco

The royal Center for Remote Sensing : CRTS

• Is a national institution created in 1989 responsible for :

Coordination and execution of the national program of RS

Provision of technical advisory services related to Space information

Provision of training and education opportunities in Space technology

and space law and carrying out research actions and programs

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The Vision

continue to Publish the scientific review « Geo-Observateur », which reports the results of works and research, undertaken in developing countries, and which is also an indicator of development

strengthen training and international and regional cooperation

programs.

Translate space technologies into operational tools

A - Space Activities in Morocco

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Integrate geospatial information in the sustainable development Value chain

become one of the advanced scientific agencies in conducting research and providing services in field of remote sensing and space sciences.

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• Realization of projects and studies

• Technical assistance

• Development of methodologies

• Platforms for Spatial Information Processing

Developing operations

• Agreement with major operators of EOsatellites

• Morocco -EU agreement on Galileo

• Direct Receiving Infrastructure

Ensure access to satellite resources

• Continuing Education Program• R & D work

• Stay in specialized laboratories

• Awareness seminars

• Space law

Building national capacity

The MissionA - Space Activities in Morocco

Agricultural statistics and production forecasting

water resources management

forest and pastoral resources assessment

urban and land management

space cartography and geometrics

environment and hazards

geological applications

oceanography, climate and marine resources

• Support to government departments in various fields :

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Applications and Users

• The CRTS provides expertise to national and regional institutions

(governmental, private, …) for :

acquisition, archiving and distribution of Earth observation data

consultancy and technical assistance

providing training and education opportunities in space technologies

A - Space Activities in Morocco

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International cooperation

Bilateral

CNES, ESA, NASA, Chine…

Strengthening National

Capacities

Development of New Services

EuropeanPrograms: FP7,

H2020

Promoting space for users

Contribute to the treatment of regional and global issues

Promote South-South

cooperation

International Organization : UNOOSA, FAO,

PNUD, GEO

COSPAR, IAF, EURISY, IISL

GALILEO

EU - Morocco

International cooperation

Since its creation, the CRTS has undertaken privileged relations with several International Organizations, Governmental and Non-Governmental

Organizations to ensure a diversified and fruitful cooperation.

The Moroccan space law situation

• United Nations Treaties

Morocco has ratified the five UN treaties :

- The outer space treaty

- The rescue agreement

- The liability convention

- The registration convention

- The Moon agreement

B - Space law situation in Morocco

• Morocco is a member of COPUOS since 1961

• Actively takes part in the proceedings of the committee and its subsidiary bodies since 1992

II - Space activities and space law in Morocco

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• Morocco is currently in the process of setting up a national space law

Actions which had permit to promote space law in

Morocco

Tree regional workshops on space law dedicated to French speaking African

countries are organized

Active involvement in regional workshops in space Law co-organized by :

- OOSA : Netherlands 2002, Korea 2003, Nigeria 2005

- IISL : Thailand 2007,

- AU : Kenya 2013

All the workshops were Co-organized with European partners, ESA-ECSL, CNES

ASI, DLR, IDEST

Participation in international space law courses (Italia 2005)

Information actions were organized frequently, to increase public awareness

B - Space law in Morocco

19Two specific edition of Geo-Observateur was dedicated to

a space lawDuring the last ten years

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III – Conclusion : How to promote space law in Africa ?

To sensitise decision makers, projects managers, administrators,… to the benefits of space

To promote understanding, acceptance and implementation of the United Nations treaties and principles on outer space

To consider space law and policy in the context of space economy, space society, space accessibility and space diplomacy

To study trends in and challenges to the progressive development of space law;

To assess further needs for capacity-building, assistance and outreach in connection with space law and policy.

A. Objectives

Encourage the integration of space law in the University and regional centres

curricula

Promote regional cooperation on educating space Law and Technologies for a

economic growth and sustainable development

Incorporate the elements of space law into science and technology courses

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III - How to promote space law in Africa ?

B. Recommendations

Training dedicated to specialists in law to enhance their understanding

and knowledge the space law

UNOOSA or Agencies experts could play an important role to assist concerned

authorities to set up the basis of a national space law-framework

Exchange with countries that had established space law and policies

Multiply the meetings at the level of Africa in order to better explain the interest to accede to the five treaties governing the Space