Riyadh: The first edition of the Space Debris Conference has kicked off in Riyadh today. The conference, held under the theme "Towards Securing the Future of the Global Space Economy," is attended by His Excellency, the Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Space Agency, Engineer Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha, and His Excellency, the CEO of the Saudi Space Agency, Dr. Mohammed bin Saud Altamimi, along with wide participation from over 400 experts, 70 speakers, and many CEOs and leaders in the space sector globally.

The conference, organized by the Saudi Space Agency in partnership with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) as a content partner, and the Communications and Space Technology Commission as a hosting partner, aims to create a platform for global dialogue to address this growing challenge and emphasize the Kingdom's role in space protection, enhancing communication, building partnerships, and exchanging experiences among international, regional, and local entities active in the space sector. The conference encourages deepening partnerships between government agencies, the private sector, and academic institutions, reflecting innovative solutions to sector challenges, including reducing the impact of space debris.

Regarding the launch of the conference, His Excellency, Engineer Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha, emphasized that the conference comes amidst the increasing space activities and the challenges that may hinder the sustainability of space exploration in the future. This prompted the Kingdom to mobilize leaders, experts, and specialists in the sector to address the challenges of space debris and ensure sustainability.

He added that the conference is an important step towards enhancing global cooperation in space and represents a unique platform for dialogue and idea exchange in this vital field. The Kingdom, through its events, which will continue for two days, aims to renew its commitment to space protection and contribute to the development of the global space economy.

For his part, His Excellency, Dr. Mohammed bin Saud Altamimi, CEO of the Saudi Space Agency, clarified that the conference comes in the context of the Kingdom's constant aspirations to enhance its role in space and its commitment to achieving sustainable development goals and innovation in the field. He pointed out that the conference will enhance communication and cooperation with global partners to achieve positive developments in addressing this major challenge and contribute to finding effective solutions to future space debris impact reduction, thereby contributing to building a sustainable future.

He referred to Saudi Arabia's role in launching the Leaders Initiative for Space Economy, one of the outputs of Saudi Arabia's presidency of the G20, which was first included in the group's agenda. Through this initiative, the Kingdom seeks to enhance space cooperation among countries to maximize the benefits of space economy and the use of space data to support sustainable development, food security, and global health.

The conference's first day will include five main sessions discussing legislation and future trends in addressing the consequences of space debris. A range of ideas for future solutions that contribute to risk elimination and Earth's protection will be presented. The first session will highlight "Trends, Risks, and Solutions," and the second session will present an initiative for removing space debris from Earth's orbit. The third session will discuss "Enhancing Orbital Safety through Effective Space Debris Monitoring," and the fourth session will discuss a paper on shaping the future of space governance. The sessions will conclude with a paper on space debris challenges and sustainability.

The conference will be accompanied by an exhibition for local and international companies specializing in space technologies and sciences. The exhibition aims to raise awareness of the risks of space debris and increase awareness of the rapid technological developments that contribute to addressing this challenge facing humanity as a whole.

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