On Thursday, 25 September in Abidjan, Ivory Coast officially joined the Artemis Accords, becoming the 75th signatory country of this vast space coalition led by NASA, with the aim of promoting the peaceful and transparent exploration of the Moon and Mars. The ceremony took place during the Africa Space Expo 2026, where Adama Diawara, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, affixed his signature in the presence of American diplomats.
Through this commitment, the Ivorian nation joins a major international dynamic initiated in 2020 by 8 founding nations, in line with already well-established scientific cooperation. Indeed, since 2019, the National Office for Technical Development of Ivory Coast has been actively collaborating with NASA in the fields of geodesy and Earth observation.
In other words, the country is leveraging these achievements to strengthen the management of its resources, anticipate climate risks, and stimulate scientific innovation on a national scale. The Artemis Accords commit signatories to explore peacefully, share data, assist one another, avoid interference, and preserve global historical heritage to ensure safe and transparent space coordination.
This strategy reached a milestone with the creation in 2025 of the Ivorian Space Agency, which now coordinates all projects related to space meteorology, satellite navigation, and telecommunications. An initiative that confirms Abidjan's growing ambitions on the international stage.
Matt Anderson, Associate Administrator of NASA, welcomed this progress: 'The United States and Ivory Coast are already cooperating on Earth.' Today, we are extending this partnership beyond Earth.
Membership in the Artemis Accords opens up new avenues for collaboration for our scientists, engineers, and institutions as humanity returns to the Moon and prepares for the future. We share the same principles.
The opportunities are there. And now, we can get to work.'
Furthermore, this alliance offers significant economic and technological prospects for West Africa. Indeed, participation in lunar programs facilitates easier access to global scientific data and helps attract investment in the technology sector.
'This is a major step forward, important for the ambitions of Ivory Coast and for the other members of the African Union,' emphasized Tidiane Ouattara, Director General of the Ivorian Space Agency. Anselme Akéko Published on 29/09/26 11:00 The Editorial Staff