Ethiopia’s Minister of Innovation and Technology, H.E. Frehiwot Tamru, has called on the Space Science and Geospatial Institute to align its next five-year strategic plan with national development priorities, strengthen geospatial data infrastructure and accelerate digital transformation. The directive followed a review of the Institute’s capacity, performance and progress towards fulfilling its national mandate.
During the session, Director General Dr. Abdissa Yilma presented an assessment of the Institute’s organisational structure, workforce, technical capabilities, infrastructure, ongoing projects and achievements and challenges over the past five years. The review was intended to identify institutional strengths and gaps, establish priorities and provide an evidence-based foundation for the next strategic plan. Directors General from institutions accountable to the Ministry also provided feedback and pledged support for the assessment.
Minister Tamru commended the Institute’s management for efforts to improve its working environment, facilities and infrastructure, but stressed that ongoing initiatives must deliver measurable benefits for the country and its citizens. She directed the Institute to assess its performance against the responsibilities defined in its establishing regulation and review its vision, mission and values to ensure alignment with Ethiopia’s Grand Strategy and ambitions in space science and geospatial development.
READ ALSO: MONIEPOINT RESTRUCTURES PRODUCT AND ENGINEERING TEAMS TO DRIVE GROWTH
The Minister emphasised the need to identify and prioritise strategic projects that address national challenges and contribute significantly to development. A key priority is establishing an integrated national geospatial data foundation to support evidence-based decision-making by federal and regional institutions, with applications in agriculture, urban development, infrastructure planning and smart city initiatives.
She also called for the nationwide expansion of Ethiopia’s digital addressing system, which has already been introduced in selected cities. Recognising its importance to e-commerce and other digital services, she stressed the need for stronger stakeholder coordination and appropriate legal frameworks to support its broader implementation and use.
The review also identified challenges involving coordination, legal enforcement and the joint development, sharing and use of national geospatial data. The Institute was directed to examine existing policies, proclamations, regulations and directives to determine whether they adequately support its mandate and identify areas requiring improvement. The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating coordination and supporting the process.
Regarding Ethiopia’s ambition to develop its own communications satellite, participants noted that a comprehensive feasibility study has yet to be conducted. The Institute was tasked with identifying and engaging relevant stakeholders to undertake the study collaboratively, with the findings expected to inform the next five-year strategic plan.
The Minister further emphasised that the plan should establish clear institutional responsibilities, strengthen legal and policy frameworks and promote coordinated implementation, with measurable national outcomes at its centre. The approach is intended to ensure that the Institute’s priorities contribute directly to Ethiopia’s broader development objectives.
As part of the visit, Minister Tamru and the participating institutional leaders toured the Institute’s facilities and received briefings on its ongoing projects and activities, reinforcing the review’s focus on assessing existing capacity and identifying priorities for its next phase of development.
