It was remarkable that before the start of the space investment session, within the World Investment Forum that kicked off today in the Qatari capital, the audience listened to a musical performance that used an instrument combining bamboo wood and a piece of a meteorite that fell to Earth, in a creative message that combines terrestrial art and space.
Hot Topics
The participants in the session, who were from the government, private and research sectors, discussed how outer space is no longer just an arena for scientific competition, or a monopoly for displaying the influence and prestige of major countries, but has rapidly transformed into a vital economic infrastructure and an engine for sustainable development, amid expectations that the size of the space economy will jump from about $680 billion currently to $1.8 trillion by 2035.
The session featured intensive discussions between UN officials, policymakers, space economy entrepreneurs and academic researchers, focusing on how to enable emerging markets and developing countries to secure a foothold in global value chains in this sector.
Opportunity: An opportunity to build quality investments that establish local companies and build national capabilities.
Organizational and institutional predictability: Investors look for a clear strategy within national policies.
Environmental and orbital sustainability: The risks in space are difficult and high, technical, commercial, regulatory, financial, and others stemming from the nature of the space environment.
advertisement
The UN official stressed that developing countries are not obligated to build expensive rockets or satellites, but can achieve maximum developmental returns through space software, Earth observation applications, and artificial intelligence solutions related to this field.
Nomfoniko Magaga, the principal director of space affairs at the South African Ministry of Trade and Industry , revealed her country's experience as a model for emerging countries, explaining that her country has established itself as a reliable supplier in global supply chains through the manufacture of precision components such as sensors, satellite cameras and space avionics, considering this path to be a golden opportunity for developing countries.
Tags:
science