Rwanda set to launch Space Agency in July

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 02:45 pm

Rwanda’s Minister of Technology and Innovation Paula Ingabire advanced on Wednesday that the Rwandan Space Agency must start operating in July this year.

According to the minister, the agency will support forecasting and planning in agriculture, environmental monitoring, disaster preparedness, as well as urban planning through the use of satellite data and Earth observation images.

After approving the bill to establish the center, President Paul Kagame stressed the importance of Rwanda advancing its Earth observation capabilities and technologies.

In February 2019, Rwanda signaled its intentions in space technologies by launching the country’s first satellite, named Icyerekezo after a former Rwandan king.

This first step into space was the result of a partnership between the Rwandan government and the Japanese Exploration and Aerospace Agency.

(plenglish)