The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has signed the basic charter of the Arab Space Cooperation Group with the participation of 14 member states in a virtual meeting convened on Sunday at the headquarters of Saudi Space Commission (SSC) in Riyadh.

The Arab Space Cooperation Group is a regional space-focused entity established in March 2019 in Abu Dhabi to serve as a platform for coordinating regional space efforts among its member states. Saudi Arabia is a founding member of the Group.

The signing initiates the Group’s official role as a mechanism for coordinating space cooperation, guiding Arab space joint endeavors, and ensuring harmonious regulation among space authorities. The Charter will help consolidate the positions of the Group’s member states by adopting a unified position at regional and international forums.

During the signing ceremony, Dr. Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh, Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Space Commission (SSC), pointed out that the foundation of the Arab Space Cooperation Group shall lead the region to assume a global standing in the field of space by creating a unified vision and cooperative approach.

Dr. Al Al-Sheikh asserted that Saudi Arabia’s accelerating space endeavors reflect the Kingdom’s confidence in the capabilities of its people and the Arab youth at large. “We are sure that this generation will help the region assume an advanced position among advanced countries by unlocking the potential of the space industry and harnessing its peaceful uses.”

Over the past decades, Saudi Arabia has been a key player in the regional space industry by founding the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat) in 1976, commissioning HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman to participate in NASA’s STS-51-C mission as the first Arab and Muslim astronaut, launching several satellites, sponsoring research programs; and most recently forming the Saudi Space Commission to consolidate and regulate all space-related activities nationwide.