Senior Bureau Official Ambassador Jonathan Pratt from the Bureau of African Affairs led the inaugural U.S.-Africa Technical and Regulatory Space Training Meeting. This session marks the beginning of a series of technical and regulatory trainings ahead of the NewSpace Africa Conference, scheduled for April 20-23, 2026, in Libreville, Gabon.
During the meeting, Ambassador Pratt stated, "the United States aims to empower African nations to create locally owned, financially sound, and internationally-aligned space programs – not dependent, opaque, or controlled by outside actors."
The event was described as an initial step in expanding U.S. space diplomacy on the African continent. There are now more than 60 satellites in orbit related to African nations. Attendees agreed to enhance cooperation for responsible space exploration and to work together with transparency.
African space agencies from Senegal, Angola, Mauritius, Djibouti, Nigeria, Kenya, Botswana, Gabon, Ethiopia, Namibia, Rwanda, and Egypt participated in the meeting. U.S. government agencies present included representatives from the Department of War, Department of Commerce, and the Federal Communications Commission.
