On September 15, 2026, the 2026 Conference Week of the China Africa Satellite Remote Sensing Application Cooperation Center opened in Beijing. The theme of the conference week is "Empowering China and Africa with Intelligent Remote Sensing, Creating a New Chapter of Cooperation and Win Win", aiming to enhance the level of cooperation and further empower sustainable development in China and Africa with satellite remote sensing application technology. Vice Minister of Natural Resources Zhou Xing, Chief Executive Officer of the Egyptian Space Agency Majid Ismail Mohamed, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwandan Space Agency Gaspard Twajirayezu, and Cameroonian Ambassador to China Martin Mbana, among other Chinese and foreign representatives, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony.

At the opening ceremony, representatives from China and African partners fully affirmed the positive progress made in China Africa satellite remote sensing cooperation, and engaged in in-depth exchanges to promote deeper and more practical cooperation. The National Land Satellite Remote Sensing Application Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources has signed a memorandum of understanding on satellite remote sensing application cooperation with relevant institutions in Mauritania and Madagascar, and released three public knowledge products, including the Star Intelligence Remote Sensing Interpretation Large Model, Monitoring of Built up Areas in African Capital Cities, and Monitoring of Coral Reef Whitening in African Regions.

The conference week will last until September 18th, with representatives from 23 African countries, international organizations, embassies in China, and Chinese co construction units attending. During this period, special events such as seminars and technical inspections will also be held to further form practical and sustainable cooperation results, injecting new momentum into the long-term cooperation between China and Africa in the fields of Earth observation and sustainable development.

The China Africa Satellite Remote Sensing Application Cooperation Center is a concrete practice of implementing the consensus of the leaders of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation and jointly building a 24/7 China Africa community with a shared future in the new era. Since its establishment in July 2023, it has always adhered to the principles of "openness, inclusiveness, cooperation, and win-win", based on the actual development of Africa, consolidating the foundation of cooperation through data sharing, empowering development bottlenecks through technology, and stimulating endogenous power through talent cultivation. Next, the Ministry of Natural Resources and related institutions will continue to collaborate and promote progress with African countries, actively advance the construction of the China Africa Satellite Center Africa Center, accurately connect with the urgent needs of African countries, expand the openness and sharing of satellite remote sensing information, technology, and products, and continue to deepen talent training and capacity building to support sustainable development in Africa. (Source: Ministry of Natural Resources)Editor/Yang Meiling