The UAE Cabinet, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, approved the formation of the Supreme Space Council in its latest meeting, a permanent entity reporting directly to the cabinet.
The cabinet noted that Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Defence, will chair the council.
Council members
The Supreme Space Council will include the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, the Minister of Economy, and the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the UAE Space Agency, as member and secretary-general of the council. It will also include the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, the Vice President of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Bannai, Advisor to President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology, and Major General Dr. Mubarak bin Ghafan Al Jabri, Assistant Undersecretary for Support and Defence Industries within the Ministry of Defence; Assistant Undersecretary for Support and Defence Industries at the Ministry of Defence.
The decision also assigned the UAE Space Agency as the general secretariat for the Council, responsible for providing technical and administrative support.
Key responsibilities
The resolution defines the key responsibilities of the Supreme Space Council which include approving public policies for regulating the space sector and related activities, defining national priorities for the space sector, and identifying the technologies required to ensure the country’s technological independence. The council will also set investment and acquisition priorities for both public and private entities involved in space activities.
Additionally, the Supreme Space Council will be responsible for approving plans and strategies that focus on space security in cooperation with international partners, and the comprehensive framework for managing infrastructure, facilities, and assets in the space sector, ensuring integration across all relevant sectors.
The council will also work on plans for capacity building in the space sector in addition to the establishment of local, regional, and international partnerships that benefit the space sector and related industries.
Furthermore, it will review and approve legislation, policies, strategies, and national programs in the space sector in coordination with the appropriate authorities.
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