By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
The Southern African
Development Community (SADC) Steering Committee for the Shared Satellite
Project has reviewed progress on the regional initiative during a meeting held
in Luanda on the sidelines of the third preparatory meeting for the World
Radiocommunication Conference 2027 (WRC-27).
The meeting was chaired by
Angola in its capacity as Chair of the SADC Shared Satellite Project Steering
Committee. The country was represented by the Ministry of Telecommunications,
Information Technologies and Social Communication (MINTTICS) through the
Director General of the National Space Programme Management Office (GGPEN), Dr.
Engineer Zolana João. South Africa serves as the Vice-Chair of the Steering
Committee.
The session was attended by
Angola's National Director of Telecommunications and Information Technologies,
Engineer Matias Manuel da Silva Borges of INACOM, as well as representatives
from SADC member states participating in the implementation of the regional
satellite project.
During the meeting, the
Steering Committee assessed progress made in implementing decisions adopted by
SADC Ministers regarding the Shared Satellite Project and directed the
project's technical working groups to develop additional recommendations for
consideration at the Committee's next meeting.
Participants reviewed the
progress achieved since Angola assumed leadership of the project in 2020. Key
milestones include the consolidation of orbital positions for the future SADC
Shared Satellite, the development of terms of reference for the SADC Space
Programme, and strengthened technical coordination among member states.
The meeting also highlighted
Angola's role as the SADC Notifying Agency to the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU), where it coordinates the notification process
and works to protect the orbital and radio frequency spectrum resources
required for the implementation of the regional satellite programme.
Angola also continues to
host the Project Management Office (PMO) for the SADC Shared Satellite Project
through GGPEN. The office comprises experts from GGPEN and INACOM and provides
technical support to the SADC Satellite Expert Group, which is responsible for
developing technical documentation and advising the Steering Committee on
project implementation.
The Steering Committee
remains the principal oversight body for the initiative, ensuring that
decisions adopted by SADC Ministers are implemented while working closely with
the Satellite Expert Group, the Project Management Office, and the SADC ICT
Secretariat to advance the development of a shared regional satellite system
aimed at strengthening communications infrastructure and regional integration
across Southern Africa.
