GMES & Africa

GMES & Africa is a joint programme of the African Union and the European Union, designed to utilize earth observation data, services and applications in addressing sustainable development challenges. It is designed to support African institutions’ capacities in the management of natural resources, the environment and climate change through grants, technical assistance, capacity building, and information sharing.

GMES & Africa is built on the aspirations of the Agenda 2063 for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future based on inclusive and sustainable development. It is an enabling pillar of the African Space Programme, which is a flagship programme of the Agenda 2063. Managed and administered by the African Union Commission, GMES & Africa is implemented through clusters (consortia) of institutions across the five regions of Africa. Its first implementation phase involving 12 consortia started in 2016, focusing on the thematic areas of Water and Natural Resources; and Marine and Coastal Areas.

The second implementation phase began in 2022 and will span the next four years.It involves 8 consortia and aims to cover the entire supply chain for services on Water & Natural Resources and Marine & Coastal areas, from access to information, generation and provision of services, and engagement and capacity of users to ensure utilization of these services.