MALINDI, Kenya — Kenya and Italy have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in space science, technology, and innovation following a high-level familiarisation tour of the Luigi Broglio Malindi Space Centre (LBMSC), led by the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation.
The visit was led by Principal Secretary Prof. Abdulrazak Shaukat and attended by Italy’s Minister for Universities and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, alongside senior officials from both countries’ space and research institutions.
Also present were Italian Space Agency President Teodoro Valente, Kenya Space Agency (KSA) Director General Brig. Hillary Kipkosgey, National Research Fund (NRF) CEO, Prof. Dickson Andala, Vision 2030 Chairperson, Dr. Emmanuel Kombe, Kilifi County Assembly Speaker, Catherine Kenga, and a representative of the Kilifi County Governor.
Strategic role of Malindi Space Centre
Officials underscored LBMSC’s growing role as a strategic space infrastructure hub supporting satellite tracking, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and scientific research for Kenya and the wider region.
Prof. Shaukat said the government views space science as a key driver of national development, stressing that innovation must be embedded within society to generate tangible economic and social benefits.
“The socialisation of science is critical to advancing the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). Science and innovation must not remain abstract concepts but tools that improve livelihoods and drive inclusive growth,” Shaukat said.
Aligning space science with development priorities
The delegation highlighted the need to strengthen collaboration among government agencies, research institutions, universities, and local communities, noting that space-derived data plays a growing role in agriculture, disaster preparedness, environmental protection, and urban planning.
Kenya’s space policy framework, anchored under the Kenya Space Agency Act, positions the country as a regional leader in peaceful space utilisation, while leveraging international partnerships to build technical capacity and research ecosystems.
Brig. Kipkosgey said the Malindi facility remains central to Kenya’s ambitions in satellite technology and downstream applications that support public policy and economic planning.
Italy–Africa space engagement
The tour comes ahead of the Italy–Africa Meeting, scheduled to be hosted at the Malindi centre, a milestone event expected to strengthen Africa–Italy cooperation in space science and research.
Italy has been a long-standing partner in Kenya’s space journey, dating back to the establishment of the Malindi Space Centre in the 1960s, one of the oldest space facilities on the African continent.
Italian officials said continued collaboration with Kenya offers a platform for expanding research partnerships, capacity building, and technology transfer across Africa.
Local governance and community engagement
County leaders attending the tour emphasized the importance of ensuring that large-scale scientific infrastructure delivers local economic and educational benefits, including skills development, research opportunities, and community engagement.
The government has increasingly linked space science investments to national planning frameworks such as Vision 2030, positioning advanced research as a pillar of long-term competitiveness and sustainable development.
