he Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Western Asia, affiliated to the United Nations, opens in Amman, Jordan. The Centre will offer research and application programmes for university educators and research and application scientists on space-based remote sensing, satellite communications, satellite meteorology and space sciences.
“This is another landmark in the development of the UN Programme on Space Applications that was mandated to promote the use of space technology for peaceful purposes, in support of national, regional and global development,” said Mazlan Othman, UNOOSA Director at the inauguration ceremony, under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II at the Royal Jordanian Geographic Centre, where the new Centre is located.
“The Centre opened today joins the four other regional centres that, through their educational programmes, promote the development and growth of capacities that can enable each country to enhance its knowledge, understanding, and practical experience in those aspects of space science and technology that have the potential for a greater impact on its economic and social development, including the preservation of its environment,” noted Ms. Othman.
The newly inaugurated regional centre in Amman joins the existing four regional centres, located in India for the Asia-Pacific region; in Morocco and Nigeria for French and English communities in Africa respectively; and two campuses of the regional centre for Latin America and the Caribbean, located in Brazil and Mexico. The Centres that are affiliated with the United Nations through an agreement with UNOOSA assist Member States in enhancing local capabilities in different areas of space science and technology that have the potential to advance social and economic development.
More information about the Regional Centres is available at:
http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/SAP/centres/index.html
For additional information on the inauguration of the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education for Western Asia please contact:
Werner Balogh
Programme Officer, UNOOSA
Email: werner.balogh[at]unoosa.org
or
Awni M. Khasawneh
Director General, Royal Jordanian Geographic Centre
Telephone: (+962-6) 534-2223
Mobile: (+962-777) 745-204 or (+962-797) 745-200
Email: kawni[at]yahoo.com or kawni1[at]yahoo.com
United Nations Information Service Vienna (UNIS Vienna)
P.O.Box 500
1400 Vienna
Austria
Tel.: (+43-1) 26060-4666
Fax: (+43-1) 26060-7-5899
Email: unis@unvienna.org
Website: http://www.unis.unvienna.org
