Africa’s International Relations in Outer Space Activities

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore Africa’s relations in enhancing its global standing in the Outer space frontier. The population of the study included all the Fifty four states in the African continent. The study employed stratified sample of the study population with Morocco, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria representing the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western regions/stratums respectively. The study achieved its goal through three objectives namely to examine intra African cooperation in outer space; to interrogate the extent and scope of Africa’s relations with other state and non-state space actors and to identify the key challenges that Africa faces in her International Relations in outer space activities. The study employed the realist theory of international relations and reviewed relevant literature aimed at meeting the set objectives. The research used a mixed method approach of data collection by examining both primary and secondary data. In this regard, questionnaires were administered to key informants and data was also obtained from journals, internet articles like the UNOOSA website and austranautix.com, reports and circulars on outer space related activities in Africa. The study concludes that there is minimal engagement of African countries in space related activities compared to other regions globally. The space sector in Africa is also marred by a lot of challenges key among them being affordability, poor policies and lack of coordination. The research recommends that African states develop an indigenous space industry that promotes and responds to the needs of the African continent, collaborate more to avoid duplication and implement the already existing space policies that emphasize on fair and mutually beneficial partnerships, capacity building and funding. The study further recommends that more research is done in this area to bridge the knowledge gap and lack of information on the space activities in the African continent