NSSA and ROSCOSMOS sign MoU

Manama, May 3 (BNA): Bahrain National Space Science Agency (NSSA) and the Russian State Space Corporation (ROSCOSMOS) exchanged a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the field of the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes. "The MoU aims to provide collaborative activities and reviewing areas of common interest for both entities through implementation of joint projects, developing researches, exchanging information and expertise, training and capacity building, and other collaborative opportunities,” Transportation and Telecommunications Minister, NSSA’s Chairman of Directors’ Board Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, said. “The memo is a great opportunity to fulfil NSSA’s vision and strategic objectives as ROSCOSMOS is one of the leading space organizations,” he added. The MoU came in implementation of the directives of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to consolidate bilateral relations and to benefit from the scientific expertise of the Russian State Space Corporation to contribute in building the skills of our national cadres and the advancement of space science and its applications in Bahrain. “In recent years, relations between Russia and Bahrain made a qualitative leap forward: social, political and cultural ties are strengthening, the trade is growin,” ROSCOSMOS Director General Dr. Dmitry Rogozin said. “The MoU paves the way for building up cooperation in space activities. 60 years after the historic flight of the first cosmonaut of the planet Yuri Gagarin, space continues to attract public attention, remaining the far frontier of the scientific and technological development of mankind.” “The authority is actively seeking to build distinguished relations with all space agencies, especially the leading ones in the field such as the Russian State Space Corporation, and we are happy with this memorandum that we count on to raise the level of cooperation between the two friendly countries in the space sector," NSSA’s CEO Dr. Mohamed Ebrahim Al-Aseeri, said. "During the past two years, opportunities have been offered to a number of the NSSA’s employees to benefit from what is provided by institutions specialized in space sciences in Russia, and this has contributed to enriching their knowledge and equipping them with many technical skills that helped in the implementation of a set of scientific studies for the benefit of the NSSA, and with the signing of this MoU, opportunities will diversify and increase the rate of scientific and technical production in order to achieve the aspirations of both sides,” he said.