Following consultation with experts in the field, as well as the industry and academia, the Ministry for Equality, Research and Innovation has launched the first National Space Strategy for Malta.
Minister for Equality, Research and Innovation Owen Bonnici explained how over the last two years, the Ministry together with a number of experts and the Malta Council for Science and Technology, have been working hard to develop the strategy that is being presented to the public for consultation.
Minister Bonnici said, “Malta is looking forward to participating in the space sector, not only because of the sector’s ability to foster interest in science, but also because research and innovation in the space sector, helps to further improve our quality of life. Concrete examples of solutions that stemmed from space research and that we use on a daily basis in our lives include weather forecasting and the use of navigation systems to find the best route to our destination.”
“In order to reap the best socio-economic benefits from this fast-growing and rapidly changing industry, we felt the need to develop a strategy that will span over the next five years,” Minister Bonnici said.
This Strategy will be built on five main pillars which are:
- Foreign Direct Investment and Space Business Attraction
- Space Innovation
- Human Capital Development
- International Regulatory Compliance and
- Emerging Technology
The Executive Chairman of the Malta Council for Science and Technology Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando spoke about the importance of the relationship that the Council has managed to build over the last nine years with the European Space Agency (ESA).
Pullicino Orlando said that the Council will remain committed to strengthening the relationship with this Agency, “thus we will continue to promote Malta at an international level, while improving the visibility of the sector."
The consultation will be open until 4th March. The document can be found in this link:
https://meae.gov.mt/en/Public_Consultations/MRIC/Pages/Consultations/MaltaNationalSpaceStrategy.aspx.