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Tunisia

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Integrated Space for African Society

Part of the book series: Southern Space Studies ((SOSPST))

Abstract

While Tunisia’s space sector and activities are not yet on par with other leading African states such as Algeria, the country is a rapidly rising space actor. Since 1984 the National Centre for Cartography and Remote Sensing has been supporting various sectors of the economy through the use of space data, and more recently agreements have been concluded with international partners to establish a domestic industrial sector dedicated to space, via the Sfax Technopole. Plans are also underway for the first Tunisian satellite, aiming for launch by 2020, while the country also hosts a variety of space-related organisations such as the Regional Centre for Remote Sensing of North Africa States, the Sahara and Sahel Observatory (OSS), and most recently the China-Arab Beidou Centre. Tunisia is thus likely to be one of Africa’s fastest emerging nations in the space sector in the coming years, given political support and the recognition of the importance of space in the country’s development plans.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), “The World Factbook: Tunisia,” 2019, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ts.html (accessed February 20, 2019).

  2. 2.

    Ibid.

  3. 3.

    Ibid.

  4. 4.

    Ibid.

  5. 5.

    Denise Youngblood Coleman, “Tunisia Country Review,” CountryWatch Publications, 2018, 7, http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uct.ac.za/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=2&sid=55dccdbb-2311-4c6e-8817-025dbfe803b3%40sessionmgr4010 (accessed February 20, 2019).

  6. 6.

    Ibid., pp. 7–59.

  7. 7.

    United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), “Members of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space,” 2019, http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/members/index.html (accessed February 21, 2019).

  8. 8.

    United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), “Status of International Agreements relating to activities in outer space as at 1 January 2018,” 2018, 9, http://www.unoosa.org/documents/pdf/spacelaw/treatystatus/AC105_C2_2018_CRP03E.pdf (accessed February 21, 2019).

  9. 9.

    Ibid.

  10. 10.

    United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), “Questions on the definition and delimitation of outer space: replies from Member States,” January 11, 2010, http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/reports/ac105/AC105_889Add5E.pdf (accessed February 21, 2019).

  11. 11.

    Regional Centre for Remote Sensing of North Africa States (CRTEAN), “Home,” 2014, http://www.crtean.org.tn/en/ (accessed February 21, 2019); Regional Centre for Remote Sensing of North Africa States (CRTEAN), “Presentation,” 2014, http://www.crtean.org.tn/en/index.php/the-center/presentation (accessed February 21, 2019).

  12. 12.

    Regional Centre for Remote Sensing of North Africa States (CRTEAN), “Home”.

  13. 13.

    UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal, “National Focal Points,” United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), 2017, http://www.un-spider.org/network/national-focal-points (accessed February 21, 2019).

  14. 14.

    United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), “Committee on the Uses of Outer Space: 615th Meeting,” June 10, 2010, http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/transcripts/copuos/COPUOS_T615E.pdf (accessed February 21, 2019).

  15. 15.

    Thouraya Sahli Chahed, “Space Activities in Tunisia,” National Centre for Mapping and Remote Sensing (CNCT), February 8, 2010, http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/pres/stsc2010/tech-05.pdf (accessed February 21, 2019).

  16. 16.

    Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel (OSS), “Members and Partners,” 2018, http://www.oss-online.org/en/members-partners (accessed February 21, 2019).

  17. 17.

    Ibid.

  18. 18.

    Space in Africa, “Towards a Tunisian National Space Strategy,” March 22, 2018, https://africanews.space/towards-a-tunisian-national-space-strategy/ (accessed February 21, 2019).

  19. 19.

    GlobalSecurity.org, “National Commission for Outer Space Affairs,” July 21, 2011, https://www.globalsecurity.org/space/world/tunisia/agency.htm (accessed February 21, 2019).

  20. 20.

    Journal Officiel de la République Tunisienne, “Sommaire,” October 5, 1984, http://www.legislation.tn/sites/default/files/journal-officiel/1984/1984F/Jo05684.pdf (accessed February 21, 2019).

  21. 21.

    Journal Officiel de la République Tunisienne, “Sommaire,” August 23, 1993, http://193.95.2.162/sites/default/files/journal-officiel/1993/1993F/Jo06293.pdf (accessed February 21, 2019).

  22. 22.

    Rabi El Majidi, “La legislation tunisienne relative à l’espace,” 2010, http://www.unoosa.org/pdf/pres/lsc2010/tech-01.pdf (accessed February 21, 2019).

  23. 23.

    Contrôle Démocratique des Forces Armées (DCAF), “Loi n° 88-83 du 11 Juillet 1988, portant création du centre national de télédétection,” 2017, https://legislation-securite.tn/fr/node/41349 (accessed February 21, 2019).

  24. 24.

    Presidency of the Government (Republic of Tunisia), “Law n° 2009-24 dated 11 May 2009, amending law n° 88-83 dated 11 July 1988, forming the national remote detection center,” 2019, http://www.legislation.tn/en/detailtexte/Loi-num-2009-24-du-11-05-2009-jort-2009-038__2009038000241 (accessed February 21, 2019).

  25. 25.

    Presidency of the Government (Republic of Tunisia), “Loi n° 2009-10 du 16 février 2009, relative à l’institut national de la météorologie,” 2019, http://www.legislation.tn/fr/detailtexte/Loi-num-2009-10-du-16-02-2009-jort-2009-015__2009015000101 (accessed February 21, 2019).

  26. 26.

    Journal Officiel de la République Tunisienne, “loi n° 93-8 du 1er février 1993,” February 5, 1993, http://www.telediffusion.net.tn/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Loi-93-8-du-1-02-1993.pdf (accessed February 21, 2019).

  27. 27.

    WebManagerCenter, “Tunisia 2020: Les 5 grands axes du Plan de développement 2016–2020,” Internet Management Group SA, November 26, 2016, https://www.webmanagercenter.com/2016/11/26/399309/tunisia-2020-les-5-grands-axes-du-plan-de-developpement-2016-2020/ (accessed February 21, 2019). Translated from French.

  28. 28.

    Ibid.

  29. 29.

    Tunis-Afrique Presse, “Tunisia 2020: 146 projects, including smart projects, proposed to investors,” November 29, 2016, Thomson Reuters Zawya, https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/story/Tunisia_2020_146_projects_including_smart_projects_proposed_to_investors-ZAWYA20161129041020/ (accessed February 21, 2019).

  30. 30.

    Centre National de la Cartographie et de la Télédétection, “Présentation,” 2014, http://www.cnct.defense.tn/index.php/fr/site-map/presentation (accessed November 20, 2018). Translated from French.

  31. 31.

    Ibid.

  32. 32.

    Ibid.

  33. 33.

    Centre National de la Cartographie et de la Télédétection, “Projets Thématiques,” 2014, http://www.cnct.defense.tn/index.php/activites/item/179-thematique (accessed February 21, 2019). Translated from French.

  34. 34.

    Moncef Mahroug, “Le CNCT veut conforter son leadership dans l’information géographique numérique,” Internet Management Group SA, May 17, 2017, https://www.webmanagercenter.com/2017/05/17/406265/le-cnct-veut-conforter-son-leadership-dans-linformation-geographique-numerique/ (accessed February 21, 2019). Translated from French.

  35. 35.

    Ibid.

  36. 36.

    Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (Tunisia), “Towards a Tunisian National Space Strategy,” 2018, http://www.isa2m.rnu.tn/TNSS/Schedule-en.pdf (accessed February 21, 2019).

  37. 37.

    Space in Africa, “Overview of the Tunisian Space Industry,” April 19, 2018, https://africanews.space/overview-of-the-tunisian-space-industry/ (accessed February 21, 2019).

  38. 38.

    Ibid.

  39. 39.

    Ibid.

  40. 40.

    Space in Africa, “Is Tunisia the next space giant from Africa?” December 11, 2018, https://africanews.space/is-tunisia-the-next-space-giant-from-africa/ (accessed February 21, 2019).

  41. 41.

    Technopole Sfax, “Structure,” 2014, http://www.sfax-icttechnopark.tn/index.php?id=18 (accessed February 21, 2019). Translated from French.

  42. 42.

    Space in Africa, “Is Tunisia the next space giant from Africa?”

  43. 43.

    Ibid.

  44. 44.

    Space in Africa, “Towards a Tunisian National Space Strategy,” March 22, 2018, https://africanews.space/towards-a-tunisian-national-space-strategy/ (accessed February 21, 2019).

  45. 45.

    Space in Africa, “List of Space Agencies in Africa,” Africa Space News, June 22, 2018, https://africanews.space/list-of-space-agencies-in-africa/ (accessed November 20, 2018).

  46. 46.

    Tunisian Space Agency, “Association,” http://tunispacedays.com/association/ (accessed November 20, 2018).

  47. 47.

    Unisec Tunisia, “About,” https://www.facebook.com/pg/UnisecTunisia/about/?ref=page_internal (accessed February 21, 2019).

  48. 48.

    Kamel Besbes, “Tunisian Capacity Building Experience in Space Technology Engineering Tunisia/North Africa,” 2017, 8, http://www.unoosa.org/documents/pdf/psa/activities/2017/SamaraWorkshop/presentations/2-5-1._Kamel_Besbes_Tunisian_Capacity_Building_Experience_in_Space_Technology_Engineering.pdf (accessed February 21, 2019).

  49. 49.

    Ibid., p. 7.

  50. 50.

    Ibid., p. 9.

  51. 51.

    African Aerospace, “Aerospace's key role in Tunisian economy,” November 24, 2017, https://www.africanaerospace.aero/aerospace-s-key-role-in-tunisian-economy.html (accessed February 21, 2019).

  52. 52.

    Space in Africa, “Towards a Tunisian National Space Strategy”.

  53. 53.

    Ibid.

  54. 54.

    Space in Africa, “BeiDou Navigation Satellite System Centre opens in Tunisia,” April 16, 2018, https://africanews.space/beidou-navigation-satellite-system-centre-opens-in-tunisia/ (accessed February 21, 2019).

  55. 55.

    Ibid.

  56. 56.

    Centre National de la Cartographie et de la Télédétection, “Au niveau international,” 2014, http://www.cnct.defense.tn/index.php/fr/cooperation-et-partenariat/item/195-au-niveau-international (accessed February 21, 2019). Translated from French.

  57. 57.

    Ibid.

  58. 58.

    D. Wood and A. Weigel, “Charting the Evolution of Satellite Programs in Developing Countries—The Space Technology Ladder,” Space Policy 28, (2012): 17.

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  1. University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa

    André Siebrits

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    Annette Froehlich

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Siebrits, A. (2019). Tunisia. In: Froehlich, A. (eds) Integrated Space for African Society. Southern Space Studies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05980-4_11

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