Portugal strengthens support for developing countries in defining space strategies
The second edition of the UN-Portugal Outer Space Fellowship will take place in Lisbon in March and will include an International Conference on Space Policy and Diplomacy, organised in partnership with ISCSP.
Following the success of its first edition, Portugal is once again promoting the UN-Portugal Outer Space Fellowship, an international capacity-building programme that, between 23rd and 27th March 2026, will bring together technical and diplomatic personnel from developing countries (including Small Island Developing States and Landlocked Developing Countries) to define and implement national space strategies. Participation is by invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the permanent missions to the United Nations, which identify participants from each country.
Designed jointly by the Portuguese Space Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Camões – Institute for Cooperation and Language, and in partnership with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the programme focuses on reinforcing individual and institutional skills in the field of space and the use of space technologies to promote sustainable development.
Throughout the week, participants will have access to background sessions on the role of space in the United Nations system, governance, and space law, including a module on Portuguese space law and its national regulatory framework. The programme further includes modules on the use of space data and services in public policy, risk management, and disaster response. The training component will be complemented by periods of practical work and experience sharing among participants from different regions of the world, promoting the creation of lasting cooperation networks and more qualified participation in international forums related to space.
“With this programme, we seek to train a new generation of technical and diplomatic personnel capable of participating in a more qualified manner in international forums where decisions are made regarding the governance of outer space,” says Hugo André Costa, Executive Director of the Portuguese Space Agency. According to that same executive, “by offering an immersive experience, in direct contact with Portuguese and international organisations, we are supporting the formulation of public space policies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and affirming space as a tool for economic, social, and environmental transformation”.
The launch of the UN-Portugal Outer Space Fellowship reinforces a national strategy focused on knowledge, training, and international cooperation in the space sector. This programme, along with its counterparts in the digital and ocean industries, aims to meet requests from developing countries for access to capacity-building programmes in emerging areas.
According to UNOOSA Director Aarti Hola-Maini, “the second edition of the Capacity-building Programme attests to Portugal’s strong commitment to multilateral cooperation and inclusive governance of space. Building on the success of its first edition, this initiative provides valuable capacity-building opportunities for countries to develop their capabilities in the sphere of space, enabling an informed and responsible approach to the peaceful use of space”. The Director of UNOOSA says they are “proud to continue this partnership with Portugal to ensure that the benefits of the State are accessible to all.”
The importance of this initiative is also underlined by Camões, I.P. Its President, Ambassador Florbela Paraíba, stresses that “the very positive results achieved in the first edition of the ‘Bolsas Mais Mundo’ Programme confirm the relevance of this instrument as a substantive and lasting contribution to the implementation of the Portuguese Cooperation Strategy 2030 and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The focus on developing partnerships and fostering collaboration between governmental institutions, civil society and the private sector remains essential to the success of the Programme and to the impact that we aim to deepen in this new edition.”
Building on the experience of the first edition, the UN-Portugal Outer Space Fellowship will expand the programme’s scope in 2026 with the International Conference on Space Policy and Diplomacy, organised in partnership with ISCSP – University of Lisbon, on 26 March. Integrated into the UN-Portugal Outer Space Fellowship but open to external participants, the conference will bring together experts, policymakers, and representatives of international organisations to discuss models of space governance, the contribution of space activities to sustainable development, and the role of space diplomacy in building trust and promoting responsible practices in the use of outer space.
