- Program strengthens West African capabilities under the UAE’s chairmanship of the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters
Accra, Ghana; September 2026: The UAE Space Agency has concluded a regional training program in Accra to strengthen the use of satellite data and space-based technologies in disaster preparedness and response across West Africa.
Supported by the UAE Aid Agency, the program brought together participants from Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Benin and The Gambia. It was delivered in cooperation with Ghana’s National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) and the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER).
H.E. Eng. Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency, said: “The program reflects the UAE’s commitment to using space capabilities to strengthen disaster preparedness and protect communities. Through our chairmanship of the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters, we are working with international partners to make satellite data, advanced technologies and specialist expertise more accessible to authorities when they need them most.”
He added: “The program was designed to turn knowledge into operational capability. By working directly with the Charter’s tools and procedures on real-life scenarios, participants developed practical skills that can support faster, better-informed decisions and responses during emergencies. We value the contributions of our regional and international partners to building sustainable capabilities and strengthening cooperation across West Africa.”
Held in late August, the program focused on activating and using the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters and applying Earth observation data and geospatial information to early warning, preparedness, emergency response and damage assessment.
Participants received practical training on COS-2 and Charter Mapper, which are systems used to manage Charter activations and analyze satellite imagery. They applied these tools in scenarios involving floods, storms, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions before completing an end-to-end simulation covering an activation request, data processing, output development and assessment of the results.
The training also covered the roles of the organizations and specialists involved in Charter activations, as well as how satellite data can be integrated into early-warning systems and emergency plans. Participants learned how to access, process and analyze satellite imagery and produce decision-support information for impact assessments and field operations.
Major (Ret.) Dr. Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, Director General of Ghana’s National Disaster Management Organisation, said: “The program demonstrated how satellite data and geospatial information can strengthen disaster management, particularly when authorities need accurate information quickly. The practical exercises enabled participants to apply the Charter’s tools in realistic response scenarios and exchange experience with counterparts from across the region. We look forward to building on this knowledge to strengthen preparedness and regional cooperation.”
The program forms part of the UAE’s chairmanship of the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters and its broader efforts to translate international cooperation and technical expertise into practical disaster-response capabilities.
Technical support was provided by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre and the European Space Agency, in coordination with UN-SPIDER, part of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
