His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Supreme Space Council, chaired a council meeting during which His Highness directed the launch of the “International Space Cooperation Programme”. The programme aims to allocate Dh1 billion to support international cooperation in space research and development, reflecting the UAE’s vision of strengthening its position as a global hub for the development of space technologies and industries, while enhancing its competitiveness within the global space economy.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan affirmed that the UAE views the space sector as one of the strategic sectors in building a knowledge-based future economy. He noted that the programme will contribute to localising advanced technologies, empowering national talent, and connecting national research institutions with their global counterparts through projects with sustainable economic and technological impact, by developing high-quality partnerships based on innovation and the exchange of expertise and knowledge.
His Highness also stressed the UAE’s continued efforts to cement its position among the world’s leading space economies in line with the objectives of the National Space Strategy 2031, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The strategy aims to double the returns of the space economy, increase the sector’s added value by 60 per cent, and strengthen national capabilities in research, development, and space manufacturing.
The launch of the 'International Space Cooperation Programme' comes within the framework of the UAE’s strategic directions for the space sector, which seek to build a flexible national space ecosystem that attracts investment while ensuring sustainability through the development of national capabilities, diversification of knowledge and technology sources, strengthening global leadership in space partnerships and market access, and developing world-class space infrastructure and facilities.
Global partnerships
The programme aims to develop an advanced model for international space cooperation by building strategic partnerships between research institutions, academic bodies, and national and international companies. The goal is to accelerate the development of advanced space technologies, expand knowledge transfer, and transform research and development outcomes into applications and industries with sustainable economic value.
The programme also marks a new phase of UAE leadership in space through the development of patents, localisation of technologies, and training of specialised talent, with a focus on high-growth and high-impact sectors. This will help transform innovation into integrated space industries with tangible economic impact, while creating an attractive environment for top global talent and quality investments, thereby enhancing the UAE’s competitiveness in global markets and keeping pace with the rapid growth of the international space economy.
Rapid growth of the global space economy
The council meeting also addressed the importance of the programme in supporting the objectives of the national space economy amid the continued growth of the global space economy, which reached approximately $613 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to nearly $780 billion by 2033. This presents significant opportunities for the UAE to expand its presence in future space markets and technologies.
During the meeting, Salem Humaid AlMarri, Director General of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, and Amer Al Sayigh Al Ghafri, Assistant Director General for Space Engineering at the Centre, reviewed the latest developments regarding the UAE’s participation in the Artemis programme, highlighting the country’s contribution to developing infrastructure necessary to support sustainable human presence on the Moon.
Dr Hamadullah Mohib, Chief Executive Officer of Orbitworks, also presented the company’s capabilities in strengthening the UAE’s position as a global leader in AI-powered space intelligence. He outlined the company’s vision to develop a sovereign satellite constellation that is built and operated within the UAE, enhancing the country’s ability to seize promising international opportunities and reinforce its global leadership in space intelligence.
The meeting was attended by Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports, Secretary General of the Supreme Space Council, and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency; Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications; Lieutenant General Talal Humaid Belhoul, Vice Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre; Major General Staff Mubarak Saeed bin Ghafan Al Jabri, Assistant Undersecretary for Support and Defence Industries at the Ministry of Defence; Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency; and Ibrahim Al Qasim, Deputy Director General of the Agency.