By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
The South African National
Space Agency is participating in GEO Week 2026, taking place in Geneva,
Switzerland, where global stakeholders have convened for the 2026 GEO Symposium
and GEO-21 Plenary under the theme “Investing in Earth Intelligence for a Resilient
Future.”
Leading the South African
delegation, SANSA Chief Executive Officer Humbulani Mudau said the country’s
participation reflects its commitment, as delegated by the Department of
Science and Innovation, to advancing global cooperation in Earth Observation and
geospatial intelligence.
The high-level forum,
convened by the Group on Earth Observations, brings together governments, space
agencies, scientists, innovators and development partners to strengthen the use
of Earth intelligence in addressing global and regional development challenges.
Mr. Mudau noted that for
South Africa and the broader African continent, GEO serves as a critical
platform for enhancing climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, food
security, water resource management, biodiversity protection, sustainable urban
planning and evidence-based policymaking through Earth Observation data.
He further highlighted South
Africa’s active engagement within GEO and the AfriGEO initiative, stressing the
country’s contributions in expertise, innovation and African perspectives to
global Earth intelligence discussions.
According to him, SANSA
remains committed to leveraging space science and technology to support
national development priorities and improve the lives of citizens, integrating
Earth Observation data, socio-economic insights and emerging technologies such as
artificial intelligence to build resilience and sustainability.
The GEO Week 2026 programme
also provides an opportunity for participating countries to strengthen
international partnerships, showcase innovation and contribute to shaping the
future of global Earth Observation governance and collaboration.
