Portugal and the United Nations Launch International Space Training Program

On July 7, 2025, Portugal and the United Nations inaugurated the first edition of the Portugal-UN Outer Space Fellowship at Teatro Thalia in Lisbon. This initiative brought together 25 senior officials from developing countries, to strengthen their capacities in the space sector.

The programme is the result of a strategic partnership between the Government of Portugal, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Portuguese Space Agency, the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The opening session featured interventions from Hugo Costa, Executive Director of the Portuguese Space Agency, Pedro Oliveira, Vice-President of Camões, I.P., and Aarti Holla-Maini, Director of UNOOSA.

Designed as an international training initiative, the fellowship aimed to support partner countries in developing and implementing their own public space strategies. The curriculum covered a wide range of topics, including International Space Law, mechanisms for global cooperation, and the role of Earth observation in addressing climate change, disaster risk reduction, and emergency response systems.This programme underscored Portugal’s commitment to promoting knowledge-sharing and capacity-building in various technical areas that can foster sustainable development and resilience.