The UAE Space Agency discussed ways of bilateral cooperation and mutual collaboration with a delegation from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg at the Agency’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi.
H.E. Dr. Khalifa Mohammed Al Rumaithi, Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, and H.E. Dr. Mohammed Nasser Al Ahbabi, Director General of the UAE Space Agency, received Etienne Schneider, Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, the Economy, and Internal Security, and Nicole Bintner, Ambassador for Luxembourg to the UAE.
The meeting focussed on prospects of mutual cooperation between the two countries within the space sector. The session came in the context of UAE Space Agency’s collaboration with a number of international and foreign agencies, throughout which the Agency has continued to expand its efforts to exchange information and knowledge.
Luxembourg is home to the Society of European Satellites (SES) — the largest satellite operator in the world. SES controls 50 geostationary communications satellites, which run thousands of channels around the world. These include over 200 channels in the Middle East region.
Speaking after the meeting, Dr. Al Rumaithi stated that space research plays an important role developing bilateral relations and raising the profile of the UAE on the global stage. “This visit falls in line with the commitment of the UAE Space Agency — as the official representative of the state within the space sector — to establish relationships of cooperation and collaboration with various international bodies. This principle is at the core of our strategic plan to develop and upgrade the state’s space sector, and to contribute to global trends in the space sector.”
On a different note, Dr. Al Ahbabi said: “Where space research is concerned, the products of our combined effort are greater than the sum of our parts. In other words, mutual cooperation is not only beneficial for all parties involved, but also the future of space research and exploration on the whole. To this end, we discussed with the Luxembourg delegation ways to exchange knowledge and engage in collective international efforts.”