The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) convened its 69th session in Vienna from 10 to 18 June 2026, a gathering that opened with a symbolic changing of the guard.
Professor Rafiq Akram of Morocco’s Royal Centre for Space Studies and Research, who had steered the Committee through its 68th session, handed the chairmanship to Italy, with Teodoro Valente, President of the Italian Space Agency, taking up the role for the 2026 to 2027 term.
Beyond the leadership transition, however, it was the steady stream of national statements from across Africa that gave the session its substance, with delegations using the platform to detail an expanding range of satellite programmes, institutional reforms and climate initiatives.
Beyond individual achievements, several delegations, including Sudan, used the platform to stress the importance of ensuring that least developed countries are not left behind as space activities accelerate, calling for stronger bilateral and South-South cooperation, alongside continued capacity-building support from UNOOSA.
Taken together, the statements pointed to a continent increasingly confident in articulating its space priorities, with African representatives also voicing support for the convening of a Fourth Edition of the UNISPACE conference, recognising space technology as a vital enabler of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Source: https://spaceinafrica.com/2026/06/18/african-nations-set-out-bold-space-agendas-at-copuos-69th-session/