Press Release: Further progress in EU–Africa cooperation in Space

European Commission Vice President Antonio Tajani discussed with Commissioner Jean Pierre Ezin of the African Union Commission how space applications can play a significant role in helping to combat many of the core challenges faced by the African continent. In this respect earth observation plays a crucial part which is being developed jointly under the “GMES1 and Africa initiative”.

This action plan is part of the EU-Africa strategic partnership and aims to ensure that earth observation data are available to respond to African user needs in areas such as climate change, water resource management and food security. In a joint statement, Vice-President Tajani and Commissioner Ezin expressed satisfaction with the on-going cooperation between the EU and Africa to ensure the most efficient use of space applications which respond to African user needs. Vice President Tajani welcomed that the EU-Africa summit at end November 2010 will be in a position to adopt the GMES Action Plan to take these initiatives forward.

• Primary Source

European Commission: Memo/10/414: Joint Statement of Vice President Tajani, European Commission and Commissioner Ezin, African Union Commission http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/414&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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