Naiker described the project as aligning with a “pan-African” vision in support of the country’s leadership, emphasising its role in fostering innovation and local expertise. While most African space-related infrastructure to date has focused on satellite reception or data ground stations, this plan would take a further step into actual manufacturing on the continent.

The facility could ultimately provide African engineers and researchers with a platform to develop satellites tailored to the region’s specific needs, such as environmental monitoring, disaster response and digital connectivity — sectors where space technology is increasingly seen as essential.

Observers of Africa’s growing tech ecosystem say the agreement reflects a broader trend of expanding scientific capacity across the continent, which already includes satellite launches and ground station developments in countries such as Senegal and Namibia. A successful implementation could mark a significant milestone for African participation in the global space industry.

The push follows a brief but intense conflict with Pakistan in May 2025, during which Indian forces relied heavily on satellite imagery to track military movements. Officials said the confrontation exposed blind spots in India’s surveillance capabilities, particularly at night and in bad weather.

To address this, India plans to upgrade its satellites with synthetic aperture radar, a technology that allows imaging in darkness and through cloud cover. The government is also working on systems that enable satellites to share data directly, reducing reliance on ground stations.

The first batch of 52 satellites, under a programme known as Space-Based Surveillance-3, is being fast-tracked and could begin launching as early as April 2026, according to earlier reports by Indian media .

India is also considering building overseas ground stations in regions such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Scandinavia to speed up data transmission, though these plans would require approval from host governments.

During the 2025 standoff, satellites played a key role in identifying targets, while China reportedly helped Pakistan adjust its satellite coverage, according to an Indian defence research body.

India currently has more than 100 satellites in orbit, compared with about eight operated by Pakistan, according to satellite tracking data.

Modi framed the initiative as a crucial tool not only for disaster risk reduction, but also for development. He highlighted India’s leadership in this area through its Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), emphasising that international cooperation must go beyond reaction to crises — it must support long-term planning and sustainable growth.

The proposal comes alongside his advocacy for fairer climate finance , including debt relief, blended financing and green-transition mechanisms for developing countries. He said that innovative tools like satellite data must be complemented by financial solutions that make the energy transition both ambitious and equitable.

Modi’s pitch at the summit reflects a growing call for space technology to play a central role in global sustainability, offering a way to use cutting-edge science to protect vulnerable populations and empower nations to take a more active role in shaping their own development path.

The latest map, comparing 2014 and 2024 night-time satellite images, paints a different picture , one of rapid urbanisation, expanding electrification, and shifting human footprints.

By 2024, vast new swaths of Asia will glow at night. India, in particular, is now almost impossible to ignore on the map, with its cities and corridors glowing far brighter and wider. Across Southeast Asia , new hubs of illumination appear.

Even in regions previously less connected, the lights have spread outward. The contrast is visually striking.

This change is rooted in data from the Earth Observation Group (EOG), which uses the VIIRS Day/Night Band (DNB) sensors aboard satellites to produce night-light composites that exclude interference from clouds, moonlight, fires, or stray light.

The EOG track record builds on legacy tools like DMSP-OLS, and the modern imagery offers far greater sensitivity and dynamic range.

Night-time light data are more than pretty views. They’re economic and social barometers. Economists, geographers, and planners use them to track urban growth, energy access, economic shifts, and even disaster impact in places where traditional data are sparse.

The 10-year leap in Asia’s night-light footprint echoes broader global trends: Asia is urbanising faster than ever, and more households now enjoy electricity and infrastructure than before.

In India, for instance, even rural areas that once rested in darkness now contribute to the glow. Studies using night-light data have already linked that lift to surging economic activity in formerly underlit zones.

But the story isn’t only about growth. Some areas, often in conflict zones or where lights are managed for efficiency, show muted change or even dimming. The map also implicitly highlights that not all light is uniform or stable: sensor noise, temporal variability, and calibration differences mean some apparent changes may reflect measurement artefacts.

This visualisation arrives at a moment when global attention is keen on energy transitions, infrastructure equity, and climate resilience. As Asia powers ahead, light pollution and energy demand become pressing questions.

A recent study suggests that artificial lighting is making the night sky about 10% brighter per year, much faster than previous estimates, disrupting ecosystems and human health alike.

Speaking at the 22nd National Council on Innovation, Science and Technology in Abuja, Nnaji said the satellites would help the military and other security agencies monitor hard-to-reach areas, including forests used by armed groups.

He explained that the radar satellite would be able to capture images at any time, regardless of weather or light conditions.

“The search satellite is the one that will pick images both day, night, during rain, every time of the day, and that is technology in play,” he was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria .

Nnaji added that the move is part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at using technology to solve national problems.

The minister also said the government is reviewing the country’s science and innovation policy and working to set up a National Research and Innovation Fund.

He called for better links between research institutions and industries to ensure ideas developed in laboratories are turned into useful products and services.

According to him, many young Nigerians with bright ideas often struggle to find the support they need to bring their innovations to the market.

He further urged universities, the private sector and the government to work together to close this gap.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, said Nigeria must focus on practical research that solves real-world problems.

He stressed the importance of building strong partnerships among the government, industry, and academic institutions.

At the meeting, more than 100 proposals were submitted by different sectors of the economy, including health, agriculture, and education.

Officials said the ideas would help shape future policies on science, technology and innovation.

The government also promised to return the council’s annual meetings to a regular schedule after a delay caused by unforeseen issues last year.

Airtel Africa currently operates in 14 countries, while Starlink is active in nine, with a new agreement expected to strengthen Airtel’s satellite connectivity offerings and improve internet access in underserved and remote areas.

Airtel described the collaboration as a “strategic investment and partnership,” aimed at advancing its next-generation connectivity services.

This move follows a similar arrangement in India earlier this year, where Airtel agreed to distribute Starlink kits through its retail network, potentially bundling Starlink services with its existing offerings.

This helps the government and farmers find better ways to save water and still increase their harvest.

The project is focused on three regions in Uzbekistan and covers more than five million hectares of land. About 1.6 million hectares of this is farmland. The system is being used to track ten major crops.

In the Fergana Valley, the entire water system has been digitised. This includes rivers, canals, and irrigation systems. Every field and crop can now be seen clearly on a digital map.

The system also tracks water pumps, wells, and how water flows through the land.

Officials say this technology helps show which farms use water wisely and which do not.

Some farms get high yields using less water, while others use a lot of water but get poor results. The government can now use this information to guide farmers on how to do better.

About 90 percent of Uzbekistan’s water is used in agriculture but almost half of it goes to waste.

Experts believe this new system will increase wheat yields by 30 to 40 percent, without using more water. This can help the country grow more food and protect its water at the same time.

“In Central Asia, climate change is making it harder to manage water. Using satellites, we can now see exactly how water is used and help farmers do more with less,” said Mukhiddin Ibragimov, Deputy Director of UzSpace.

The project started through a global program that gives small nations a chance to build and launch satellites.

The Mauritius Research and Innovation Council led the effort, with support from the Mauritius Amateur Radio Society and a Scottish company that built the satellite. However, local experts played a key role in setting up the systems to track and communicate with it from Earth.

Paul, a retired satellite communications specialist who was at the forefront of this innovation after decades of experience in radio signals and satellite networks, has helped train young engineers and students to connect with the satellite.

Since its launch , schools in Mauritius have been able to receive signals and images from space, making space exploration feel more real to a new generation.

Despite this achievement, Mauritius is still finding its place in the space industry.

Many young people interested in space technology are still struggling to find opportunities on the island. Some have to look abroad to advance their careers. However, Mauritius is starting to emerge as a hub for satellite communications.

A commercial ground station is already in place, and another is on the way.

Interest in space is growing, and Mauritius is proving that small nations can have a role in the global space economy.

With young people getting involved and new technology on the rise, the country is moving closer to a future where space is not just a dream but an opportunity.

“African nations are increasing their ownership of satellites because they play a crucial role in climate monitoring,” the report said .

By 2025, 23 African countries are expected to launch 125 new satellites, according to data from the African Space Industry Annual Report.

The global space economy is worth $469 billion, while Africa’s space industry, valued at $19.49 billion in 2021, is projected to grow by over 16% to reach $22.64 billion by 2026.

According to the report, conducted by Uganda’s National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) and the Airforce, the objects that fell to Earth were fragments of “military-grade equipment,” crafted from advanced materials like carbon fibre and specialised alloys. These materials allowed the debris to withstand the intense heat of re-entry, with some fragments remaining largely intact upon landing. 

In Nakawala village, Sembabule, one particularly large fragment pierced the roof of a home, creating a loud noise and a dust cloud that alarmed residents, as reported by local outlet Chimpreports .

The report attributes the incident to “defunct human-made objects in space, particularly in Earth orbit, which no longer serve a useful function.” It also notes that this incident is part of a global pattern, citing other SpaceX-related debris incidents in Australia, Washington State, North Carolina, and rural Canada.

The forensic report suggests that Uganda should consider pursuing legal action against Elon Musk’s SpaceX, citing Article 7 of the United Nations Outer Space Treaty . This treaty holds launching states responsible for damage caused by their space objects, allowing Uganda until May 2024 to submit a formal claim for damages. So far, however, Uganda has not taken any legal action against SpaceX.

SpaceX, in previous cases, has cooperated with cleanup efforts while also stating that much of its debris burns up upon re-entry. Environmental concerns about such debris have also been raised by Takao Doi, a Japanese astronaut and aerospace engineer at Kyoto University.

In a 2020 interview with the BBC , Doi warned of the environmental risks associated with satellite re-entry, explaining, “Satellites that re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere burn and create tiny alumina particles, which will float in the upper atmosphere for many years and eventually affect the environment of the Earth.”

To address the issue of space junk, Doi and his team recently launched the world’s first wooden satellite in November, aiming to study timber’s potential as an eco-friendly material for future space missions.

Oman's pavilion at the 27th Algiers International Book Fair has attracted significant interest from Algerian visitors, who are eager to learn about Omani culture and literature. The Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs is showcasing around 80 titles, including 43 for sale and 41 for display, authored by Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamad Al Khalili, as well as publications from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth. The pavilion features works on Oman's history, architecture, jurisprudence, arts, and Arab-Islamic philosophy. The fair runs until November 16, 2024, Times of Oman reports.

Construction begins at Oman's largest integrated copper concentrate project

Construction has commenced on the Mazoon Copper Project in Yanqul, marking it as Oman’s largest integrated copper concentrate production initiative. This project is a key component of the country's economic diversification strategy, spearheaded by Minerals Development Oman (MDO) and its subsidiary Mazoon Mining, as reported by Mining Magazine .

Oman launches its first satellite into space

Omani space startup Oman Lens has successfully launched the country's first advanced satellite, OL-1, designed for urban planning, forestry monitoring, and disaster management. Launched by CAS Space from the Gobi Desert, OL-1 features artificial intelligence for remote sensing and earth observation. According to Arab News , the satellite will provide high-resolution images and data at increased speeds, supporting Oman’s Vision 2040 economic diversification goals. This initiative is a collaboration between the Omani government and China's Star Vision, with plans for a constellation of satellites in the coming years.

New impetus for relations between Oman and South Korea

Over the past fifty years, political and economic relations between Oman and South Korea have grown significantly, marked by numerous official visits and positive developments. During the recent celebration of the Korean Embassy in Muscat, Ambassador Kiejoo Kim highlighted the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations as a turning point. This partnership is built on political, defence, and security cooperation, enhancing peace and prosperity. Both countries work closely to maintain regional and international peace, particularly in maritime security, with Korea appreciating Oman's support for its naval unit, Zawya reports.

Equinix opens new Salalah data centre

Equinix has opened a new data centre, SN1, in Salalah, Oman, marking a significant interconnectivity hub that aims to transform global data flows. Built in collaboration with Omantel, the state-of-the-art facility is Equinix's second carrier-neutral data centre in Oman and its sixth in the Middle East. SN1 enhances connectivity across four continents, reducing latency and increasing resilience in global networks. It features direct fibre links to Equinix's existing facilities in Muscat, supporting carriers and cloud service providers. This development is part of Omantel's strategy to attract global content providers and further establishes Salalah as a key connectivity hub, Tech Africa News reports.

Afghanistan’s cricket team, the AfghanAtalan, will tour Zimbabwe from December 9 to January 6 for an all-format series, including two Test matches, three One Day Internationals (ODIs), and three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). The tour begins with a T20I series on December 9 and concludes with the Test matches in Bulawayo, in southwest Zimbabwe starting December 26. Afghanistan Cricket Board Chairman Mirwais Ashraf emphasised the significance of the tour and Afghanistan's historical ties with Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Cricket's Chairman expressed excitement for the series, highlighting the engaging nature of their matches against Afghanistan. The Afghan squad will arrive in Zimbabwe on December 6 for practice ahead of the first T20I. 

Zimbabwe on track to set new winter wheat production record  

Zimbabwe is on track to set a new winter wheat production record, having already harvested over 490,000 tonnes this season, exceeding last year’s record of 460,000 tonnes. Farmers cultivated 121,900 hectares, the largest area since the 1960s, and achieved an average yield of five tonnes per hectare. Total production could surpass 600,000 tonnes, significantly above the annual requirement of 360,000 tonnes, which is expected to stabilise staple food prices. Collaboration between the government and the private sector, along with dedicated power supplies for farmers, contributed to enhanced productivity. Zimbabwe, alongside Ethiopia, has recently achieved wheat self-sufficiency, a notable feat for the continent.

Collaboration with Eswatini on energy efficiency projects

Zimbabwe is set to collaborate with Eswatini on energy efficiency projects, which are expected to enhance bilateral relations and significantly benefit both nations. During a workshop in Bulawayo, energy expert Mzwandile Thwala highlighted that implementing Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for cooling systems could save the region 8 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity by 2040, translating to a savings of around $840 million in electricity costs and a reduction of 6.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Enhancement of mobile connectivity in Zimbabwe’s border areas

The Zimbabwean government is taking steps to enhance mobile connectivity in border areas, as many residents currently rely on foreign service providers. Minister of Information Communication Technology, Dr Tatenda Mavetera, announced that initiatives will focus on underserved rural regions. The initiative is consistent with Zimbabwe's strategic goal of achieving a fully digitized and paperless economy by the year 2030.

Zimbabwe set to launch second satellite

Zimbabwe is set to launch its second earth observation satellite, ZimSat-2, on November 5, contingent on weather conditions. Developed by the Zimbabwe National Geo-Spatial and Space Agency (ZINGSA) in collaboration with Southwest State University in Russia, ZimSat-2 features a multispectral camera for high-resolution imaging vital for agriculture, geology, urban planning, and environmental monitoring. Its primary function is to monitor crop health and analyse vegetation using the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI).

The airline announced the launch of the service from its Boeing 777, flying from Doha to London, on 22 October 2024.

“World’s first press release at 35,000 feet,’ the post on X said. “We are proud to be the airline that leads the way, setting new standards in the airline industry,” another post said.

The move makes Qatar Airways the first airline in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to offer this service on board, allowing passengers to stream, play games, and work online at 35,000 feet.

By 2025, the service is expected to be expanded to the entire Boeing 777 fleet, followed by the Airbus A350 fleet in mid-2025.

Starlink, engineered by SpaceX, is the largest satellite internet constellation in the world which promises low-latency, high-speed internet, making online activities seamless for passengers even in remote locations.

Tourism Minister Nasisie Chali who launched the account on September 17 indicated that it will serve as an instrument to measure the generation of the tourism economic data.

It will also provide the required data based on which new policies will be formed for the sector.

‘The establishment of TSA is a strategic initiative aimed at realizing the full economic potential of Ethiopia’s tourism sector by providing essential data for evidence-based policy formulation, decision making and strategic planning,” she was quoted.

TSA will highlight relevant information about the contribution of tourism to GDP, job creation, and investment among others.

The Tourism Satellite Account is a globally recognised statistical framework developed by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in collaboration with the United Nations Statistics Division, the International Monetary Fund and other international bodies.

The TSA project which started on February 4, 2023 is in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning and Development and various stakeholders from both public and private sectors.

The pursuit of innovative technology and infrastructure development remains a pivotal focus in South Africa's socio-economic landscape. Recently, Elon Musk announced that Starlink is awaiting regulatory approval to commence its satellite internet service in South Africa. Drive Tesla reports that the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has noted that no formal application has been registered by SpaceX. Starlink aims to provide high-speed internet to underserved rural areas, drawing on its operational presence in nearby countries. With operational compliance dependent on obtaining two critical licenses from ICASA and adhering to Black Economic Empowerment regulations, including local ownership stipulations, the service's current installation is considered illegal by ICASA. There is, however, a notable uptake among South African users utilising Starlink's roaming services, despite the risks involved with unlicensed operations.

Ownership transparency

The Financial Intelligence Centre has reduced the threshold for identifying Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO) from 25% to 5%, as detailed in Public Compliance Communication 59 (PCC59). This amendment addresses sophisticated ownership concealment tactics employed by criminals, particularly in tender corruption cases often linked to shell companies, Tech Financials reports. The regulation syncs with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission's Beneficial Ownership Register, demanding detailed business disclosures while promising to leverage technological solutions for streamlined compliance. Given South Africa's greylisting by the Financial Action Task Force, non-compliance harbours considerable risks. The anticipated improvement in ownership transparency is expected to yield benefits for the general populace by mitigating corruption and fostering equitable competition. This cultural pivot towards integrity in financial operations could attract foreign investment, necessitating collaboration among businesses, regulators, and tech providers for effective change implementation.

EU supports S.A's hydrogen project

In the realm of sustainable energy, the European Union has committed approximately €32 million in grants to bolster green hydrogen value chains in South Africa. This funding, inclusive of a €25 million grant aimed at catalysing R10 billion in private and public finance, seeks to boost hydrogen production, transportation, and storage capabilities, ultimately contributing to job creation and greenhouse gas emission reductions. An additional grant of about €6.9 million will support Transnet’s green hydrogen initiatives, particularly in research and pilot projects regarding low-carbon hydrogen production. This strategic move aligns with the EU's Global Gateway strategy, envisaging Southern Africa as a burgeoning market for green fuels, Offshore Energy reports.

National road network repair

Infrastructure development is equally pressing, with South Africa's National Roads Agency reporting a need for R307 billion ($17.2 billion) to repair and enhance the national road network. This financial requirement emerges amidst pressing infrastructure upgrades in ports and electricity systems, tied to the deployment of design and construction work across 1,437 projects. Compounding this demand are delays attributed to contractor bankruptcies and organised crime, Financial Post reports. The agency’s management of a modest 70% of the country’s long-distance freight underscores the urgency of investments in both road and state-owned enterprises, such as Eskom and Transnet, advocating for improved governance to enhance project execution.

Flooding support

Lastly, amid severe weather conditions, Episcopal Relief & Development is collaborating with HOPE Africa to render immediate assistance to families in the Western Cape affected by flooding and high winds. With 15,000 structures damaged and 4,500 individuals displaced from their homes, the partnership aims to provide crucial emergency support, including blankets and sandbags. It also seeks to advocate for social housing and improved living conditions from governmental bodies, with local churches actively participating in outreach efforts, PRWeb reports. Contributions to the International Disaster Fund will significantly bolster ongoing emergency relief and sustainable recovery efforts to assist impacted communities.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, announcing the historic achievement for the West African nation in a post on X (formerly Twitter), described it as a crucial step in the country’s quest for technological independence.

“Senegal enters a new era today with the successful launch of our first satellite, GAINDESAT-1A at precisely 6:56 p.m. from the Vandenberg base in California,” Faye wrote.

“The result of 5 years of hard work by our engineers and technicians, this advance marks a major step towards our technological sovereignty,” he added.

GAINDESAT-1A was designed and built by Senegalese engineers in collaboration with the French Montpellier University Space Centre, as reported by local media RTS . The satellite was among 116 mini-satellites and CubeSats aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket during its mission from the California base.

The primary objective of the satellite is to gather crucial data for various state agencies in Senegal, including those involved in water resource management, civil aviation, and meteorology.

With this achievement, Senegal joins an exclusive group of 12 African countries that have successfully launched their own surveillance and telecommunications satellites. It also becomes the second sub-Saharan French-speaking nation, after Djibouti, to enter the space race.

What they said

Highlighting the importance of this achievement, Turkey's Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, said "The Turksat 6A is the highest-value technology project produced by our country so far.” President Erdogan also said "As Turkey, we produced more than 81% of the subsystems, satellite ground stations, and software in the 6A project, which is of great importance for our country's future in space, with national resources."

“The other services include defence and security, research, disaster management, and weather forecasting in the country,” he was quoted by The Citizen as saying.

The move follows recent efforts by the East African country to enhance space programmes.

President Samia Suluhu Hassan revealed on May 19 plans to launch a satellite into space, indicating that negotiations are already underway.

“We are well prepared. We have started discussions and rest assured that Tanzania will have its own satellite in the near future,” she said .

An orbital position of 16W has also been secured for use in broadcasting satellites in addition to new frequencies for improving air and maritime communications safety.

The government also plans to launch a national satellite management committee to oversee the coordination and supervision of space activities in the country.

The success of the launch will place Tanzania on the list of other East African countries including Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda who already have operational satellites.

The CNSA announced that on May 8, the Pakistani CubeSat successfully detached from the orbiter near the far side of the moon and captured its initial images.

The first snapshot showcased the radiant sun, while the second featured a gleaming half-moon. The third image displayed the moon and the sun in one frame, according to the images released by the CNSA.

To strengthen bilateral ties, China on May 10 delivered the data collected by the cube satellite onboard its Chang'e-6 spacecraft to Pakistan, the CNSA announced .

“I believe that this cooperation is of great significance to promoting friendly relations between the two countries and enriching people's understanding of the moon,” said Ge Ping, deputy director of the CNSA's Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Centre.

"We will share our scientific achievements to lay the foundation for future lunar exploration activities, which will be of great significance to promoting the construction of a global community with a shared future in outer space," he added.

This achievement marks another feat in the progress of Asian nations in space exploration. Japan recently made headlines by capturing the world's first close-up photograph of space debris in orbit as part of an ongoing mission aimed at identifying and eliminating potentially hazardous debris cluttering Earth's orbit.

Astroscale mission which started in February, successfully photographed a large piece of orbital debris, the upper stage of a Japanese rocket that has been orbiting Earth since 2009.

Orbital debris consists of any human-made object in Earth's orbit that no longer serves a useful purpose.

Last year, it was announced that American and Japanese scientists were prepared to launch the world’s first wooden artificial satellite to combat space pollution. The LignoSat probe, set to launch in the summer of 2024, is considered an environmentally friendly alternative to the aluminium satellites currently circling the Earth.

Takao Doi, a Japanese astronaut and aerospace engineer with Kyoto University, expressed concerns about the environmental impact of satellites re-entering Earth's atmosphere. "We are very concerned with the fact that all the satellites which re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere burn and create tiny alumina particles, which will float in the upper atmosphere for many years," Doi told the BBC in 2020. "Eventually, it will affect the environment of the Earth," he added.

According to NASA , as of January 2022, more than 9,000 metric tons of space debris are orbiting the Earth.

“We have licensed satellite gateway air stations, landing rights, and satellite air station networks. One web has already been licensed. Starlink is in the process of being licensed and other operators are being encouraged to land in Ghana,” the Minister said .

“We must also invest in operationalising RASCOM, the Regional African Satellite Company, instead of each country going alone,” she added.

The minister claimed that before the current disruption of the internet, her organisation lacked the necessary framework to license satellites but it has acquired the necessary understanding over time.

Ghana’s National Communication Authority (NCA) in a statement released on March 16 said that it would take a minimum of five weeks for internet services to be restored to full capacity.

Space X's Starlink, a satellite network headed by American multibillionaire Elon Musk in November 2023, announced that its network service had become available in Benin with plans to extend its coverage to more African countries in the years to come.

Once licensed, Ghana will join Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia and Benin as the African nations to have authorised the satellite network to provide its services to their country.

Deputy General Director of the VNSC, Le Xuan Huy is quoted by the Vietnam Plus saying that the 570 kg satellite, which has a 1-metre imaging resolution, should be finished in May 2024.

In addition to satellite development, classes have been held to transfer technology for radar satellite image processing to get people resources and technology ready for the launch, Huy adds.

The country will have higher expectations after the launch of the LOTUSat-1 satellite in terms of precise information for preventing natural disasters.

The launch of the LOTUSat-1 satellite will boost the hopes of the nation to receive accurate information for natural disaster prevention.

Vietnam, with a 3,440 km coastline and complex topography, is highly disaster-prone, with 70% of its coastal population exposed to flooding risks, the WHO reports.

“This success is one of the fruits of the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference,” he is quoted by local media the Citizen .

This follows earlier communication by Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan in May, indicating the country’s advanced negotiations and preparations in achieving this scientific milestone.

“We are well prepared. We have started discussions and rest assured that Tanzania will have its own satellite in the near future,” President Suluhu Hassan said.

Member of Parliament for Musoma Rural and a prominent advocate for space technologies in Tanzania, Professor Sospeter Muhongo emphasized the importance of leveraging space technology for economic development. He underscored the advancements made by neighbouring countries such as Rwanda and Kenya in this regard.

In other parts of the African continent, Egypt leads having launched nine satellites, while South Africa follows with eight. Algeria, Nigeria and Morocco follow with seven, six and three satellites, respectively. Other countries on the list include Ghana, Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Angola, Mauritius and Rwanda.

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo conducted a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, stating on television that the government was proceeding with the suspension of a portion of the inter-Korean pact.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, currently on a state visit to Britain, earlier chaired a National Security Council meeting with some ministers and the national intelligence chief via video link.

The pact, referred to as the Comprehensive Military Agreement, was signed in 2018 between former South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Its goal was to de-escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula.

The agreement included the establishment of buffer zones with suspended live-fire drills, designated no-fly zones, removal of certain guard posts from the Demilitarized Zone dividing the countries, and the maintenance of hotlines, among other provisions.

However, the agreement has faced increasing scrutiny and calls for suspension or termination, with critics contending that it restricts Seoul's capacity to monitor North Korea's activities along the border.

In a statement, South Korea's National Security Council noted that the action would entail the reinstatement of reconnaissance and surveillance operations around the military demarcation line between the countries.

North Korea's state news agency, KCNA, reported that the Malligyong-1 satellite was launched from the Sohae satellite launch facility on a Chollima-1 rocket at 10:42 p.m. (1342 GMT) on Tuesday, entering orbit at 10:54 p.m. (1354 GMT). The announcement cited North Korea's National Aerospace Technology Administration.

Having notified Japan of its plan to launch a satellite between Wednesday and Dec. 1, North Korea's move follows two unsuccessful attempts this year to launch what it described as spy satellites.

Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, denounced the launch as "a brazen violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions," warning of increased tensions and the potential destabilization of the security situation in the region and beyond.

This launch marks the first since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's meeting with Vladimir Putin at Russia's modern space facility in September, during which the Russian president pledged assistance to Pyongyang in building satellites.

South Korean officials suggested that the recent launch likely involved technical support from Moscow, part of a growing partnership that has seen North Korea supply millions of artillery shells to Russia. However, some missile experts caution that it may be premature to assume full integration of Russian technical assistance into the satellite or rocket at this stage.

“We have to see how properly this is being operated,” Lee Choon-geun, a rocket expert at South Korea’s Science and Technology Policy Institute said.

Russia and North Korea have refuted allegations of engaging in arms deals but are making public commitments to enhance their collaboration.

According to KCNA, Kim Jong Un personally supervised the launch, which occurred slightly more than a week before South Korea's scheduled launch of its inaugural spy satellite into space using a rocket operated by the U.S. company SpaceX.

Following the launch attempt in May, South Korea recovered the satellite wreckage from the sea and determined, through analysis, that it had limited utility as a reconnaissance platform.

The South Korean military expressed the belief that the recent rocket launch carried a reconnaissance satellite and was directed toward the south