Senior Bureau Official (SBO) in the Bureau of African Affairs Ambassador Jonathan Pratt convened today's U.S.-Africa Technical and Regulatory Space Training Meeting, the first in a series of technical and regulatory trainings in the leadup to the NewSpace Africa Conference April 20-23, 2026 in Libreville, Gabon.

SBO Pratt conveyed that 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.

This meeting represented the first step in the United States deepening space diplomacy on the African continent, now with more than 60 satellites in orbit. Representatives agreed to work more closely together to advance responsible exploration in space and collaborate transparently and openly.

Participating in the meeting were representatives from the following African space agencies: Senegal, Angola, Mauritius, Djibouti, Nigeria, Kenya, Botswana, Gabon, Ethiopia, Namibia, Rwanda, and Egypt. The meeting also included representatives from the Department of War, Department of Commerce, and the Federal Communications Commission.