Côte d’Ivoire has joined the Artemis Accords, becoming the 75th country to sign this international framework aimed at promoting the peaceful, responsible, and sustainable exploration and use of space, the [suspicious link removed] announced in an official statement on Wednesday, September 30, 2026.

The Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Adama Diawara, signed the accords on behalf of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire on Thursday, September 24, 2026, in Abidjan.

The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of the inaugural Africa Space Expo—the first major space industry event held in Côte d’Ivoire, featuring the United States as the country of honor. U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to Côte d’Ivoire, Junaid Munir, attended the ceremony and commended the nation's commitment to international space cooperation.

In its statement, the U.S. State Department highlighted expanding space cooperation between the two nations, noting Côte d’Ivoire’s participation in a joint 2025 U.S.-Africa technical and regulatory training session dedicated to space governance.

Furthermore, Washington welcomed the official establishment of the Space Agency of Côte d’Ivoire (ASCI) and its alignment with the Artemis framework, which outlines core principles for safe civil space activities and sustainable outer space development.

Established in 2020 by the United States alongside seven founding nations, the Artemis Accords define shared guidelines for space exploration. With this signature, Côte d’Ivoire joins a growing coalition of signatory nations working alongside NASA and global partners to advance peaceful space initiatives.