MidEast Space Collaboration Could Be Enhanced With More Space Agencies - UAE Space Agency

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2018) Regional collaboration in the sphere of space between Arab countries could go faster if they established dedicated and holistic space agencies, Naser Al Rashedi, the Director of Space Policy and Regulations at the UAE Space Agency told Sputnik.

"We are already sharing some experience and knowledge. We also developed MOUs with some activities already, bilateral projects. That is what we are working on and it is going in the right direction. It is not going as we would really like but we understand that some countries really need a little bit of time," Al Rashedi said, answering a question on the collaboration between the UAE and other Arab countries on space.

Al Rashedi added that the pace of enhancing regional collaboration could be increased, if states in the region created dedicated space agencies that placed under its umbrella all legal, policy and technical matters relating to space.

"One of the obstacles is that you do not have a focal point. It is very clear for the UAE; if you have something with space, you go to the space agency. It is clear. Then the space agency will direct you in case you have to go to a university, or an operator, or it's something that deals with the government directly but in other countries you don't know where to go. There is no space agency," Al Rashedi said.

Al Rashedi stated that the UAE would support any Arab country wishing to establish a space agency, or develop a space program, and was happy to provide its expertise, having already established dialogue with 11 Arab countries on space.