NASA Welcomes Senegal as Artemis Accords Signatory

Senegal signed the Artemis Accords July 24, 2025, during a ceremony hosted by NASA at the agency’s headquarters in Washington. In 2020, during the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the State Department, joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies. The accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety, transparency, and coordination of civil space exploration on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The Artemis Accords are grounded in international law and represent the best practices and norms of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.

What is said in the film

Good afternoon. Thank you for joining us here at NASA. In 2020, during the first Trump administration. The United States, led by NASA and the State Department, joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords. Responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies.

Today, Senegal shows an exceptional leadership in signing the Artemis Accords, a set of principles committing to the safe, transparent and peaceful exploration of space. Participate in today's ceremony, we have NASA Chief of Staff Brian Hughes, Ambassador of Senegal to the United States Abdoul Wahab Haidara, Department of State Senior Bureau, Official Bureau of African Affairs Jonathan Pratt, and director general of the Senegalese Space Agency Maram Kairé. Now I'll turn it over to NASA Chief of Staff Brian Hughes. Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for coming.

And thank you, to Ambassador Haidara, state Department director of African American or African affairs, Pratt and director General Kairé. On behalf of NASA in the United States of America. And I am honored to welcome you here today to mark Senegal becoming the latest signatory of the Artemis Accords. As the 56th country to sign the Artemis Accords, Senegal joins a broad coalition of nations committed to transparent cooperation in space. This historic moment is a proud step forward in our nation's shared mission of peaceful exploration of the Moon and beyond.

For Senegal, joining the accords is yet another milestone for a nation whose space program exhibits aspiration, innovation and determination. Only 17 months after its founding, the Senegalese Agency for Space Studies successfully launched their nation's first satellite. I must add a launch carried on American rocket. As we speak, GAINDESAT-1A is providing the Senegalese people critical data on weather patterns, disaster preparedness and essential resource cultivation. This success underscores the broad benefits of space all around the world, and we look forward to the development of GAINDESAT-1B While credit for the achievement is shared across Senegal.

I do want to acknowledge the man whose leadership played such a critical role in its success, the Director General of ACS, Mr. Maram. Mr. Kairé interest in space began when he was 12 and by 14 he built his first telescope made out of soda cans. And today, the star chaser of Senegal works tirelessly to see his nation's reach extend to space.

Not only is he the first Senegalese to have an asteroid named after him, but because of his work, he will certainly not be the last. Space agencies like Senegal's are why the Artemis Accords are so important. They show the responsible exploration of space benefits all of mankind. The Artemis Accords were established during President Trump's first term, when the United States, led by NASA, the Department of State and seven other nations founded to establish the accords responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by governments and private companies. The accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety, transparency and coordination of civil space exploration on the Moon, on Mars and far beyond.

As we welcome Senegal, we show the world that America leads with its friends. With this signature, Senegal tells the world it is committed to upholding these principles. Senegal's participation in the community of nations committed to exploring peacefully and sustainably, will inspire a new generation of explorers across the world. NASA is very excited to work with Senegal to promote the responsible and transparent stewardship of space for this generation, and many, many to come. Thank you very much.

And now I welcome Ambassador of Senegal to the United States Abdoul Wahab Haidara. Thank you for giving me the floor. Good afternoon to all of you. Chief of Staff, NASA. Thank you for hosting us.

I want to greet all of you. I'm the newly appointed ambassador of Senegal to DC. And today is very special to me because I have just submitted my clearance to President Trump. And right after I was able to join you here today. This signature marks a historic milestone in our partnership with NASA.

The collaboration between NASA and Senegal has started a long time back, and this optimistic agreement will bring concrete and tangible mutual benefits on priority issues, including transfer of technology. Congratulation to all the teams for their hard work and dedication to the peaceful exploration of space and special congratulation to our director, Kairé. I know him personally. I know he's involvement, determination, so I was very glad to welcome him to DC with my team and all the staff at the embassy. Thank you once again.

Thank you. And now introducing Department of State, Senior Bureau, official Bureau of African Affairs Jonathan Pratt. Thank you so much colleagues here at NASA. Doctor Kairé, congratulations. Representatives of the Senegalese government with us here today, including, the ambassador.

Congratulations to you and welcome. I just share a personal anecdote. I was, a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea-Bissau 30 years ago, and, had the honor to pass through Dakar many, many times. So wish I had been a volunteer in Senegal actually. Delighted to join you all today to witness the, signing of the Artemus Accords.

The amazing growth of the accords, now signed by 56 countries from around the world, speaks to the shared global vision for space cooperation rooted in transparency, responsible exploration, and the principle that space should benefit all of humankind. I commend the Senegalese Space Studies Agency for its leadership and vision to make Senegal a hub for space cooperation on the African continent, aligned with the goals of the African Space Agency. Earlier this month, President Trump hosted president Faye and four other African leaders at the White House to discuss opportunities to strengthen our cooperation and to increase mutually beneficial trade and investment. The Artemis Accords provides a foundation to deepen cooperation with U. S.

agencies like NASA and to expand opportunities with America's commercial space industry. As you all know, on August 2024, one year after the founding of Senegal’s Space Agency Senegal launched its first satellite. I'm probably going to mispronounce this, so I apologize, GAINDESAT-1A from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. We know that is just the beginning for Senegal's future forward looking space program. And your country leverages space technologies to expand internet access to students and rural villages, to monitor weather patterns, to support farmers, and to survey borders and drive innovation.

For 65 years, the United States has enjoyed a strong and enduring partnership with Senegal, working together across a wide range of political, security, economic and commercial issues. And today's signing is just further testament of our growing relationship across these many areas. Thank you very much. And in the spirit of NASA’s motto, for the benefit of all. Thanks.

And now passing it to Director General of the Senegalese Space Agency (ASES) Maram Kairé. Hello, everyone. Excellencies. Mr. , Chief of Staff, thank you for hosting us on this historic moment.

Distinguished representative of Senegalese embassy. Distinguished representative of NASA, honorary partners, distinguished guests. All protocol observed. It is with a profound emotion and great honor that I stand before you on this historic day. In the name of the Republic of Senegal and our president, his excellency, Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

By signing the Artemis Accord Senegal chooses to join the great human adventure that has always driven to explore the unknown. Senegal’s adherence to the Artemis Accords reflects our commitment to a multilateral, responsible and transparent approach to space. The signature marks a meaningful step in our space diplomacy and in our ambition to contribute to the faithful exploration of outer space. I am reminded the visionary words of the President Kennedy. “We declare we choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things.

Not because they are easy, but because they are hard. Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies, and our skills. ” Today, these words resonate deeply with us. For we too, as Senegalese and as Africans, we choose courage. We choose to embrace challenges.

We choose the future. But for Senegal, the commitment goes beyond symbolism. Space is not a luxury for us. It is a tool for development, for human progress. We look to space, technology and data to address some of our most urgent priorities improving agriculture and ensuring food security through the monitoring of soils and climate, expanding education, bringing knowledge even to the most remote communities.

Strengthening public health, tracking epidemics and connecting isolated areas. Protecting our environment and preserving natural resources. Contributing to peace and security by monitoring and managing our territories, and finally supporting sustainable governance through better land management. Yet beyond technology, what we are doing here today carries an even greater message. A message of hope for our youth.

To every young Africa looking up the night sky, I say this, your dreams are valid. You can become engineers. You can become scientists, innovators, even astronauts. One day you can help build, lunar station, walk on Mars and unlock the mysteries of our universe. Senegal may not be a space power.

But we are a power of conviction and our conviction is clear. Space belongs to all humanity. Space is for everyone. Today, here at NASA headquarters, we make a solemn choice, the choice of progress, the choice of knowledge, the choice of international cooperation, the choice of the future. Because humanity’s stories is no longer written only on Earth, it is now written among the stars.

And Senegal will be part of that story. Thank you for your attention. And now, actually, this time, I welcome Director General Maram Kairé to sign the Artemis Accords on behalf of Senegal. Be sure that it is done. If y'all could turn turn this towards the camera to get a group photo.

Yes. I welcome you all to please stand. I will take your photo, thank you. All right. Right here.

Everybody's ready. One. Two. Three. Okay.

One more here. One. Two. Three. All right.

Thank you very much. All right. One. Two. Three.

Very good. One. Two. Three. I'm all set.

Thank you so much. Thank you. And with that, Senegal is now the 56th signatory of the Artemis Accords. Thank you you all for coming today. And please stay in your seats until our guests have exited.

Have a wonderful day.

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