The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and its Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) are pleased to announce that the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has officially become a Regional Support Office (RSO) for UN-SPIDER. This significant development was confirmed during the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space's sixty-seventh session held from 19-28 June 2024.
Established in December 2010, SANSA has been at the forefront of space research and activities in South Africa, contributing to international space efforts and monitoring the Earth's magnetic field. SANSA's creation aimed to promote space usage, strengthen cooperation in space-related activities, foster research in space science, and advance scientific engineering through human capital development and industrial support in space technologies.
SANSA is active with various programmes, including Earth Observation, Space Operations, Space Science, and the newly established Space Engineering. These programmes focus on space science, engineering, and technology to promote development, build human capital, and provide essential national services, such as navigation, communication technology, and weather forecasting.
As a new RSO, SANSA will collaborate closely with UN-SPIDER on outreach, capacity building, horizontal cooperation, and technical advisory support. This partnership is expected to enhance disaster management and emergency response efforts in the region, leveraging SANSA's expertise and resources.
In May 2023, an Institutional Strengthening Mission (ISM) to South Africa highlighted the potential of synergies between SANSA, the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), and other stakeholders. This mission included workshops and institutional visits, promoting the use of space-based information in disaster preparedness and response, and fostering stronger inter-institutional links. It was during this mission that UN-SPIDER and SANSA discussed the incorporation of SANSA as a UN-SPIDER Regional Support Office.
With SANSA joining the global network of RSOs, UN-SPIDERS's efforts to advance disaster management and emergency response are further strengthened, enhancing the capacity to use space-based information to support the full disaster management cycle in Southern Africa and beyond.
