NAIROBI, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- African ministers on Tuesday called for strategic application of space technology to provide durable solution to the continent's perennial challenges like poverty, conflicts, diseases and climatic shocks.
The higher education and ICT ministers and experts attending the International Space Forum held in Nairobi underscored the potential of space science to transform the lives of communities in the continent.
In her opening remarks, Raychelle Omamo, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Defense, said a robust space sector is key to eradicating Africa's socio-economic, health and environmental challenges.
"African states face myriad challenges in the areas of food security, provision of clean water and health services, job creation and industrialization," Omamo said.
"Space technologies and applications can provide effective solution to these challenges," she added.
Dozens of senior policymakers and scientists who attended the space forum in Nairobi were expected to adopt a continental strategy to revitalize growth of this science.
Omamo noted that African countries were committed to development of a vibrant space sector through policy support, investments in skills and infrastructure.
"We need to elevate the discourse on Africa's space sector in light of its capacity to fuel economic growth and address societal needs," said Omamo.
"The critical issues of capacity building, research, partnerships and supportive infrastructure should be prioritized in order to promote space science in the continent," She added.
Omamo revealed that Kenya has borrowed best practices from Africa's trailblazers in space science like South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria and Sudan to power growth of an indigenous space technology sector.
At the same time, Omamo said Kenya will harness space technology to achieve four pillars envisioned by President Uhuru Kenyatta in his second and final term in office.
These pillars include food security, universal health care, manufacturing and affordable shelter.
African countries should seize the opportunity to develop home-grown space sectors as a means to promote environmental sustainability, food security, human health and security.
Valanathan Munsami, the Chair of African Union (AU) working group on Space noted that growth of a formidable space sector in the continent hinges on political goodwill, academia-industry linkages and training.
"We require greater collaboration, training, research and an enlightened leadership to steer growth of space sector in this continent," Munsami said.
He urged African countries to harness the power of space technology to build the resilience of local communities grappling with negative impacts of climate change like recurrent droughts.
