UAE Cabinet approves National Space Strategy 2030
DUBAI 12 March 2019: The UAE’s National Space Strategy 2030 was adopted by the cabinet during its meeting at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
The cabinet also adopted the framework of long-term visas for investors, entrepreneurs, innovators and professional talent in order to stimulate the business environment in the UAE.
“The UAE’s residency departments will start receiving applications. The UAE will remain a global incubator for talent and a permanent destination for pioneers,” said His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who chaired the meeting.
Space-tech Centres
Sheikh Mohammed asserted that the UAE has established an economic powerhouse and advanced infrastructure by young Emirati talent, which enabled it to be at the forefront of the space exploration industry today. “Last year we celebrated the launch of the first satellite fully built by young Emirati engineers, and in the very near future we will see them operating international space technology centres, based in the UAE. We will see Emirati cadres, highly skilled and specialised in space science, achieving scientific breakthroughs that serve the entire humanity.
“We are investing in the space industry, with ambitious projects and initiatives that will benefit our citizens and contribute to key sectors of the national economy. This is an important milestone for our country, and we are aiming to become a model for countries seeking to launch ambitious space programmes,” he added.
The National Space Strategy aims at achieving UAE’s vision in the field of space exploration, technologies, and applications. It also constitutes one of the pillars of the regulatory framework for the space sector in the country which consists of four components;
- National Space Policy
- Space Sector Law
- Space Regulations, and
- National Space Strategy
The UAE seeks to establish a major global hub for space science and technology, through investing in building capabilities and creating a scientific, legislative and financing environment that is stimulating and attractive for space projects.
The strategy sets the general framework for UAE’s space industry and activities for the years 2030, including government activities related to space, commercial activities, and scientific activities carried out by public and private sector operators and academic institutions and research and development, R&D, centres.
Specialised R&D Centres
The UAE has four specialised centres for research and development of space, all of them have manufacturing capabilities, and Emiratis represent more than 50 percent of the workforce, with more than half of them being women.
The National Space Strategy includes 36 objectives and 119 initiatives, which translate into focus areas and programmes benefiting more than 85 entities in the UAE. The Emirates Space Agency is responsible for following up the implementation of the strategy in cooperation with strategic partners and more than 20 agencies and space centres abroad.
New Committee
In the organisational and governmental affairs, the cabinet approved the formation of the Financial Activities Committee, which is mandated to consider cases related to financial activities that are referred to it by the regulatory authorities, and to study any proposal or opinion to regulate any financial activity other than those mentioned in the laws.
The cabinet approved the signing on a number of international treaties to enhance international cooperation with the global community.
