ICESCO Director-General Reaffirms the Organization’s Commitment to Space Sciences for Sustainable Development in the Islamic World
6 February 2025
On Wednesday, February 5, 2025, the first Africa-Middle East Space Conference (AMESC 2025) officially launched, organized in partnership between the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Moroccan Initiative for Space Industry (MISI), and hosted by Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco. The four-day conference will bring together world-class space institutions, including NASA and the European Space Agency, as well as emerging regional agencies, to explore ways of harnessing space science to promote economic and social development.
At the opening session, attended by Mr. Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Kingdom of Morocco, Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, ICESCO Director General, emphasized that the rapid evolution of space science and technology offers unprecedented opportunities to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time, from climate change and food security to disaster management and telecommunications.
Dr. AlMalik also noted that ICESCO considers space science a powerful tool for sustainable development and is actively committed to its promotion, notably through the creation of a department specializing in space science and the organization of major events such as the International Symposium on Space, the International Aerospace Forum, and training workshops dedicated to the CanSat model satellite.
ICESCO’s Director General concluded by stating that Africa and the Middle East have immense potential for space research and innovation and that this conference highlights the importance of harnessing these resources for the benefit of humanity.
The conference sessions will be led by space science experts and specialists. The first day is dedicated to international partnerships and regional perspectives for the development of the field, while the following three days will focus on mechanisms for strengthening opportunities in the space industry, the development of space education and capacity building for professionals, as well as innovation and the future of space science.
