UAE’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), represented by ICT Fund, the TRA’s funding arm, signed a cooperation agreement with Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) on Sunday, February 11th.
The agreement was signed by Majed Al Mesmar, ICT Fund chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Yousuf Al Shaibani, MBRSC director general. The agreement entails that the TRA will be funding the Emirates Mars Mission 2117 launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. In addition, the two parties are expected to develop and build national capacities that are capable of exploring space, to enhance the UAE’s leading role in developing the living system on other planets, through research and development in space science.
Majed Al Mesmar commented on the new agreement saying: “We are pleased with the level of integration and coordination between TRA and MBRSC, which is a model that represents the wise leadership’s directives regarding collaboration between government entities, in order to achieve the national vision of reaching the first position in various areas and fields.”
He also adds that the agreement is part of a series of agreements and steps that the ICT Fund in TRA is undertaking with the aim of training and preparing young national cadres to work in the ICT sector, including the space science sector. Majed affirms that this cooperation with MBRSC will have a significant impact in driving space research and development forward.
Yousuf Al Shaibani also expressed his delight on partnering up with the TRA. According to him, it’s a step that supports the long-term strategy of MBRSC, which subsequently will enhance the UAE National Space Program in the national economic system within a few years.
“The UAE’s entry into the space world and technology field, constitutes a major development in its journey, relying on the minds and ideas of a promising generation of its qualified people, with their various scientific knowledge, whom have the will to build with the support and care of the wise leadership, who has spared no efforts to support the UAE’s entry into the space world. We believe that our role as a scientific and research center specializing in space and advanced technology is integrated with the country’s orientation, and we aim to make a positive impact on the growing space community around the world,” he said.
[Source]