Abu Dhabi: The UAE, represented by Dr Mohammad Al Ahbabi, director-general of the UAE Space Agency, has been elected vice-president of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) following a vote during the 2018 International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Bremen, Germany.
Dr Al Ahbabi said that the UAE winning the prestigious position reflects its prominent standing in the space sector and the positive outlook in terms of growth, human resource development and capacity building.
‘’The IAF achievement is the second after the UAE obtained membership of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences, which signalled the success of national strategic space plans to leverage the UAE status in the vital sector through partnerships and agreements with world leading space actors,’’ he said.
Washington will host the International Astronautical Congress in 2019 while the UAE’s Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre will convene the 2020 event.
Founded in 1951, the Paris-based IAF is a non-governmental organisation aiming to promote international scientific exchange and cooperation.
Around 4,500 delegates, including policy, business and science leaders, from 90 countries gathered at the Bremen Exhibition Centre on October 1 for the 69th space congress, which is also the world’s largest, under the theme ‘IAC 2018 — Involving Everyone’.
— WAM
