Skip to content

Salon

Advancing Space Partnerships Between Africa and Europe

Advancing Space Partnerships Between Africa and Europe

September 25, 2025

bcc, Berlin Congress Center

Space exploration is gaining significance, driven by technological advances, geopolitical shifts, and economic dynamics. In 2024, the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs reported almost 2,900 launches into orbit, five times more than in 2019. The European Space Agency (ESA) is working to strengthen its strategic autonomy, while the African Space Agency (AfSA) is expanding infrastructure and technological capacity.

Europe and Africa have the chance to advance together by fostering cooperation, supporting innovation, and contributing to the global space economy. At our Global Perspectives Salon during the Space Congress, hosted by our partner, the Federation of German Industries (BDI), representatives from AfSA, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), as well as from politics, business, and academia discussed how space partnerships can be designed to deliver sustainable benefits for both continents on Earth.

Advancing Space Partnerships Between Africa and Europe

BDI Space Congress 2025

Space is not a luxury. It’s a business model to support the basic needs of Africans.
Dr. Tidiane Ouattara
President of the African Space Council, African Space Agency (AfSA)
With the inauguration of the African Space Agency, there is somebody we can talk to. For me, this creates excitement and an environment to build on.
Rama Afullo
Founder & CEO, Satlyt
When talking about this technology, we need to link it to African challenges.
Teddy Soobramanien
CEO, Comesa Business Council (CBC)
If we come up with space solutions, it has to be a solution for the African market, where we add value.
Dr. Walther Pelzer
Member of the Executive Board, German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Sovereignty is not about being completely independent, but about having the right partners to be independent together.
Max Gulde
Co-Founder & CEO, Constellr

Contact Persons

Rhoda Berger, r.berger@globalperspectives.org

Supported by

BDI Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie

BDI The Voice of German Industry

Salon

Continuous dialogue creates awareness for the urgent questions of our time. In salons, renowned experts open the discussion with our selected guests from business, politics and society.

Program Archive

Publications
The Africa Roundtable N°8
Action Recommendations

Amid shifting global dynamics, investing in Africa’s strengths in renewable energy and climate action is more urgent than ever. The action recommendations of the eighth conference.

Salon
The Future of Global Cooperation: Redefining Germany’s Role
Hamburg Sustainability Conference 2025

How can Germany build strong, sustainable relationships with countries in the Global South that benefit both sides? At HSC 2025, we continued the dialogue on the Commission's recommendations.

Conference
The Africa Roundtable N°8
Green Finance in a New Geopolitical Reality

At the eighth edition of The Africa Roundtable, we discussed how to rethink and strengthen sustainable finance in Africa through strategic partnerships with Europe.

Publications
Recommendations for the Realignment of Germany's Relations with the Countries of the Global South
Final Report of the Commission "A Changing World - Germany and the Global South"

The Commission “A Changing World – Germany and the Global South” presents its recommendations as a basis for addressing key strategic decisions facing Germany today.

Salon
A Changing World – Germany and The Global South
Publication of the Commission's Final Report

How can Germany's international cooperation become more sustainable? After a year of intensive work, the Commission presented its final report recommendations for discussion.

Circle
Spotlight on DPI
How to advance Digital Public Infrastructure to boost Africa’s economies

DPI can help bring large populations online, driving economic growth. We highlighted the range of benefits of this new concept at our follow-up to the seventh edition of The Africa Roundtable.

Publications
Impulses for the Realignment of Germany's Relations with the Countries of the Global South
Commission "A Changing World – Germany and the Global South"

The Commission "A Changing World - Germany and the Global South", chaired by Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, presents its first impulses ahead of the German federal elections in 2025.

Publications
The Africa Roundtable N°7
Action Recommendations

With data emerging as the key driver of future economic power, Africa's digital transformation is critical and urgent. The action recommendations of the seventh conference.

Conference
The Africa Roundtable N°7
Foundations for Africa’s Future: Digital Infrastructure, Digital Public Infrastructure and Data Sovereignty for Economic Growth

The seventh edition of the Africa Roundtable focused on the importance of digital infrastructure and data sovereignty for the digital revolution on the African continent.

Newsletter Sign-up

Sign up to the Global Perspectives Initiative's newsletter and stay up to date on our program. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Global Perspectives Initiative
Dorotheenstraße 3
10117 Berlin

office@globalperspectives.org
+49 (0) 30 55 57 80 530

Global Perspectives Initiative is a non-profit and independent dialogue platform based in Berlin, Germany. Global Perspectives works towards enhanced engagement and responsibility for sustainable development by German and European decision-makers and aims to strengthen African perspectives in policy making. To this end, Global Perspectives regularly brings together decision-makers from business, academia, politics, media, and civil society to discuss new approaches, provide new impulses and raise awareness on the common opportunities and challenges the two neighboring continents are facing.

©2025 Global Perspectives Initiative gemeinnützige UG (haftungsbeschränkt)