Under the patronage of the UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Abu Dhabi Space Debate, is to host representatives of the world’s fast-growing space industry together with the President of Israel Isaac Herzog, and the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi, in its inaugural event taking place in Abu Dhabi on the 5th and 6th December.
The event organized by the UAE Space Agency with the participation of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of Defence, is intended to play a role in shaping global co-operation in the human exploration of space. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to give a video address to the gathering of global space agencies, government representatives and private sector leaders in space, avionics and defence technologies.
Her Excellency Sarah Bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency and the Abu Dhabi Space Debate Committee, said, “The Abu Dhabi Space Debate aims to create a diverse and inclusive discourse that forges concrete progress in advancing international co-operation, standards and policy-setting for the global space sector. At a time of unprecedented global challenges, this platform has a vital role to play in forging consensus, co-operation and development in this vital sector.”
“It has been an important goal for us as we approach the Debate that the world’s emerging space nations are represented, as well as legacy players,” said Al Amiri. “To that end we are delighted to be joined by representatives of the Romanian, Rwandan, Norwegian, Philippines and Portuguese space agencies, as well as global private sector pioneers. Some of the most exciting developments in the sector are now coming from these younger players and they are driving the expansion in global demand for access to space.”
Speakers at the Debate include strategists such as Dr George Friedman, founder of Geopolitical Futures; Dr Robin Geiss, director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research; and William Alberque, Director of Strategy, Technology, and Arms Control at the International Institute for Strategic Studies will be joined by some 250-space agency and space sector leaders representing over 30 countries including Saudi Arabia, the USA, India, the UK, Korea, France and Japan.
Also, the event will witness the participation of private sector companies including Airbus, Northrop Grumman, Thales and Amazon together with legislators, academics and researchers whose work defines the future of space. With moderators such as the BBC’s Stephen Sackur leading discussions, the Debate is intended to provoke an open, full and frank exchange and seek resolution and concrete progress for the sector.
The gathering will address issues ranging from the geopolitical impacts of space exploration to regulation and the respective roles to be played by the public and private sectors moving forward, the stability and security of space assets in view of the political turmoil rocking the industry and the development of national science and technology programs. The rise of mega constellations, the weaponization of space assets, sustainability and the role of space systems in defence and intelligence gathering all form part of a comprehensive platform that holds the keys to the future development of the global space sector.
The Abu Dhabi Space Debate sets out to provide a platform for leaders and policy makers from the space sector around the world to review the opportunities and challenges facing the sector and aims to advance not only global dialogue and collaboration between nations but also forge concrete alliances, multilateral agreements and provide a platform to advance the sector as a whole.
