Our History
Explore the journey of AARSE, from its inception in 1992 to becoming a pioneering force in advocating for Earth Observation and Geo-information Technology across Africa. Delve into our milestones and accomplishments, shaping the narrative of our commitment to sustainable development through space science and technology.
AARSE The African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE) was founded in 1992 and was incorporated in 2008 as an international Non-Government Organization (NGO) under Section 21 of the South African Companies Act 61 of 1973.
AARSE has an international NGO Observer Status with the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Space (UN-COPUOUS), as well as official recognition by the African Union Commission.
AARSE is a partner of several dedicated international organizations such as the:
- International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS)
- IEEE Geosciences and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS)
- European Association of Remote Sensing Laboratories (EARSeL)
- Digital Belt and Road (DBAR) Initiative
- International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE).
AARSE is a participating organization in the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE).
As a member of the former UN-ECA’s Executive Working Group on Geoinformation, AARSE also participated in, and contributed to the activities of the UN-ECA Committee on Development Information, Science and Technology (CODIST), sub-Committee on Geoinformation and is a member of the Working Group on Capacity building and capacity development of UN-GGIM Africa (the African implementation of the UN Global Geospatial Information Management – GGIM).
The primary aim of AARSE is to increase the awareness of African governments and their institutions, the private sector and the society at large, about the empowering and enhancing benefits of developing, applying and utilizing responsibly, the products and services of Earth Observation Systems and Geo-information Technology.
AARSE organizes a biennial conference by rotating host countries across the five regions of Africa (North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa). Previous hosts of AARSE conferences:
1st AARSE Conference – 1996 – Harare Zimbabwe (representing Southern Africa)
2nd AARSE Conference – 1998 – Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire (representing West Africa)
3rd AARSE Conference – 2000 – Cape Town, South Africa (representing Southern Africa)
4th AARSE Conference – 2002 – Abuja, Nigeria (representing West Africa)
5th AARSE Conference – 2004 – Nairobi, Kenya (representing East Africa)
6th AARSE Conference – 2006 – Cairo, Egypt (representing Noth Africa)
7th AARSE Conference – 2008 – Accra, Ghana (representing West Africa)
8th AARSE Conference – 2010 – Addis Ababa, (Ethiopia) (representing East Africa)
9th AARSE Conference – 2012 – El Jadida, Morocco (representing North Africa)
10th AARSE Conference – 2014 – Johannesburg, South Africa (representing Southern Africa)
11th AARSE Conference – 2016 – Kampala, Uganda (representing East Africa)
12th AARSE Conference – 2018 – Alexandia, Egypt (representing North Africa)
13th AARSE Conference – 2022 – Kigali, Rwanda (COVID-19 forced delay) (representing Central Africa)
