- The UAE became the first Arab country to lead the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters, which was activated 28 times for disasters in 18 countries during its term
- UAE institutions took part in 12 of the activations, alongside Charter members and international partners
- Training in Abu Dhabi and Accra, and Morocco’s new direct access to the Charter, mean more people and countries can now use Charter data
- MBZ-SAT imagery is now available to the Charter, and Space42 is integrating its Foresight SAR constellation, expanding what the UAE can contribute to future disaster responses
Abu Dhabi, UAE: November 2026 – The UAE Space Agency has concluded the UAE’s six-month leadership of the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters, the partnership through which space agencies provide satellite data at no cost to emergency teams when major disasters strike. The term, shared with the European Space Agency (ESA), which provided technical support particularly for training and capacity building, ended with a handover to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) at the Charter’s 56th Board meeting in Tokyo.
His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, said: “For more than 25 years, the Charter has shown what nations can achieve when they share their space capabilities for a common humanitarian purpose. As the first Arab country, and the first in the Middle East and Africa to lead it, the UAE was proud to serve that purpose and bring its national capabilities to the collective effort. This role reflects the UAE’s commitment, set out in the National Space Strategy 2031, to be a trusted partner that contributes to shared challenges and helps shape international cooperation. We wish JAXA every success as it takes the Charter forward.”
Bringing national and international partners together:
His Excellency Eng. Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency, said: “What makes the Charter work is that no single country has to carry a disaster response alone. Satellite operators, analysts, disaster authorities, and UN partners each play a part, often from different continents. The UAE’s role was to keep those pieces working together. We learned a great deal from our partners and brought UAE institutions into the Charter’s work, where they will support future activations. I thank our national partners, ESA, and every Charter member for making this possible.”
Between April 20 and October 19, 2026, the Charter was activated 28 times in response to floods, earthquakes, wildfires, landslides, storms, and volcanic activity in 18 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. Across those activations, members provided more than 8,000 satellite data products, including archive imagery for before-and-after comparison, and value-adding organizations uploaded 457 analyses outputs for responders.
UAE institutions contributed to 12 activations. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), Space42, the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), and TACTICA supported response through satellite imagery, geospatial analysis, mapping, and damage assessments. Domestically, the UAE Space Agency coordinated the national effort with the UAE Aid Agency and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA). Internationally, it worked with space agencies, UN organizations, and disaster management authorities to widen access to satellite data and strengthen disaster response.
The UAE will remain an active contributor to the Charter and is expanding the satellite data it can offer. MBRSC has integrated high-resolution optical imagery from MBZ-SAT into the Charter, and Space42 is integrating its Foresight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellation, which can capture images through clouds and at night. Together, they will give future disaster responses access to both optical and radar data from the UAE.
Investing in the people behind every response:
Alongside the Charter activations, the UAE Space Agency invested in the project managers who coordinate responses and the value-adding organizations that turn satellite imagery into maps and analyses responders can act on. In April, it hosted training in Abu Dhabi with ESA, MBRSC and Space42, after which four UAE institutions registered as value-adding organizations: UAE University, TII, Space42, and the University of Sharjah.
In August, the Agency, with the support of the UAE Aid Agency, took that training to West Africa. A four-day regional program in Accra, Ghana, brought together 30 participants from Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Benin, and The Gambia to learn the Charter’s activation procedures, satellite imagery analysis, and disaster response mapping. The European Space Agency (ESA) and Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) provided technical support, and the program was delivered in coordination with Ghana’s National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Extending the Charter’s reach:
Working with the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), the Agency supported Morocco’s Royal Centre for Remote Sensing (CRTS) through specialized training and a simulation exercise. Morocco secured Authorized User status in August and can now activate the Charter directly during major disasters. With the UK Space Agency, the Agency also supported an application for the same status from Sierra Leone’s National Disaster Management Agency, whose specialists trained in Accra. The application is now under formal review by the Charter.
Recognition for the Charter community:
The International Charter received the International Astronautical Federation’s (IAF) 2026 World Space Award, which recognized its contribution to international cooperation and to the use of space technology for humanitarian purposes. H.E. Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, accepted the award on behalf of the Charter community at the opening ceremony of the 77th International Astronautical Congress in Antalya, Türkiye, in the presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
About the UAE Space Agency:
Established in 2014, the UAE Space Agency is the federal entity responsible for developing and regulating the UAE’s space sector. Guided by the National Space Strategy 2031, the Agency develops national space policy, licenses space activities, and invests in national capability to grow the sector. The Agency’s programs include the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt, the Sirb satellite program, the National Space Fund, the Space Economic Zones Program, the National Space Academy and the Space Data Center. Building on national achievements, including the first Arab mission to Mars and the first joint Arab satellite project, the Agency brings together government, industry, academia and international partners to inspire future generations, advance scientific understanding and deliver economic value for the UAE.
