Ethiopia launches national space policy

Ethiopia has drafted a space policy aiming to support the continued growth in the country and prepare a structure to supervise space affairs while safeguarding national security.
Ethiopia established The Space Science and Technology Council and Ethiopian Space Science Technology in 2016.
Designed by the Ethiopian Space and Technology Institute, the policy combined structures that can be implemented in three phases.
The first phase, which is considered to be the basis for space policy, incorporates the building of space technology capacity, human power, space infrastructure and supervising space related issues.
Integrating the study of space science with national development strategies to facilitate the country’s economic, social; infrastructure development is the second stage, in addition to conserving natural recourses, climate change and natural disaster prevention. Using space for commercial purpose is also incorporated in this stage.
The final stage will focus on supporting the domestic space industry and the innovation required to bring to market commercial technologies. The government looks to continue partnerships with international partners to pool data for mutual benefit and obtain services and technologies that would otherwise be unavailable.
Above all, the space policy puts military and security issues at the top of the top agenda.
This is the first time space policy will play a role in economic development. It will also take into account natural resources management, development of infrastructure, climate change and commercial purposes. The policy supports advancing integration of space technologies. It also advocates for the study of space.
The policy is designed for space exploration and earth observation; to have useful satellite images, and integrating various satellites to facilitate the exchange of information conducive for service delivery.
In connection with the growth and capability of the national space development, the policy states the necessity of having two independent sectors of space study, civilians and the military.
In Ethiopia, all communication and broadcasting companies are dependent on foreign firms to operate and pay a huge amount of money. The country spends over 44 million USD to rent satellites and the project, therefore, helps the country to save this money.