The Republic of Djibouti became the 72nd nation to sign the Artemis Accords on Monday, furthering international cooperation in space exploration. The agreement aims to establish principles for transparency, safety, and coordination as nations explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
The signing ceremony took place at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., with NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson hosting. Anderson stated, “President Trump has directed NASA to return Americans to the lunar surface, establish an enduring presence, and lay the foundation for human exploration of Mars. NASA will lead, but we will not do it alone.” He highlighted opportunities for Artemis Accords nations to contribute to future missions through hardware, scientific payloads, and technology.
Ambassador of Djibouti to the United States Mohamed Siad Douale signed the Accords on behalf of Djibouti. U.S. State Department Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Frank Garcia also attended the event. Djibouti launched its national space program in 2020, managed by the Centre for Studies and Research of Djibouti within the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. The nation successfully launched its first satellites, Djibouti 1A and Djibouti 1B, in 2023 and 2024, respectively, using American Falcon 9 rockets launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
According to Douale, “By joining the Artemis Accords, Djibouti seeks to deepen its partnership with the United States and with the growing community of nations committed to peaceful space cooperation.” He expressed Djibouti’s interest in building partnerships in scientific research, satellite applications, education, and technical training.
The Artemis Accords, established in 2020 by NASA and the State Department with seven other nations, commit signatories to principles including peaceful and transparent exploration, rendering aid to those in need, enabling access to scientific data, avoiding interference with others’ activities, and preserving historically significant sites. By signing, nations can participate in future lunar exploration with NASA.
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