South Africa has announced a new partnership with the United Arab Emirates UAE to establish a dedicated South African satellite, further enhancing the country’s space technology capabilities.
Speaking on the sidelines of the SAMENA Leaders’ Summit 2025 in Dubai, Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Transformation, Mondli Gungubele, confirmed the partnership, which builds on the UAE’s strong expertise in satellite development.
He further noted that the Vice President of South Africa had joined him at the summit to help accelerate the initiative, signalling strong political support behind the project.
Additionally, a memorandum of understanding has already been signed between the two nations, laying the groundwork for the technical and institutional frameworks required to advance the programme to implementation.
Gungubele expressed optimism about the direction of the partnership, highlighting the project’s progress.
The summit, inaugurated by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, took place under the patronage of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority TDRA and brought together senior officials and industry leaders from across the region.
Gungubele praised the UAE’s development trajectory, describing it as a model of global excellence With each visit, it becomes clearer that the UAE matches, and in many respects surpasses, first world standards across key sectors such as transportation, communications, hospitality and urban development.
It is a powerful reminder that progress is not determined by background or geography, but by resolve, vision, and sustained effort.
Source: https://spaceinafrica.com/2025/05/27/south-africa-and-uae-to-collaborate-on-joint-satellite-project/
