Space officials discuss expertise to advance Arab cooperation

The Saudi Space Commission on Thursday took part in a virtual meeting of the Arab Space Cooperation Group, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The commission was represented by its CEO Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, and the session was organized by the Emirates Space Agency.

The meeting was inaugurated by Dr. Ahmad Al-Falasi, who is UAE minister of state for higher education and advanced skills and also chairman of the Emirates Space Agency. It was attended by 35 representatives.

Al-Asheikh said that the meeting tackled several topics related to completing the organizational work of the group, and discussed the progress of the Arab Satellite Project 813 on two main tracks.

The first related to receiving and reviewing the CVs of experts and specialists nominated from Arab countries to participate in the project. The second related to the educational and training opportunities that will be offered by the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre to Arab students who receive scholarships from the United Arab Emirates University.

He said that the meeting reviewed developments related to the group’s articles of association approved by 11 member states, including Saudi Arabia.

Participants were briefed on the outcome of setting the work of the group, developments related to institutional work, and participation in international space forums starting from 2021.

Al-Asheikh thanked Al-Falasi for organizing the meeting, hoping that such meetings would lead to the advancement of Arab cooperation in the field of space technology, and enhance its expertise to serve Arab interests on technical, economic, and developmental levels.

Source: Arab News