Australia strengthens regional partnerships at APRSAF-31

From Perth to the Philippines. This year’s 31^st Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-31) was held in the city of Cebu. 

Space agencies, leaders, and organisations from over 40 countries across the region, including the Australian Space Agency, came together to unlock stronger collaboration across the Asia Pacific under the theme, “Empowering the region through space ecosystems in action.”

The Forum focused on leveraging space technology and applications to address regional challenges such as connectivity, disaster management, and climate resilience. 

“Each year, APRSAF reinforces its role as the premier platform for regional collaboration in space. For over three decades, it has proven to foster cooperation across government, industry, and academia.

“Australia is dedicated to collaborating with its regional and ASEAN partners to unlock the potential of space technologies, driving resilience, innovation, and shared prosperity across the Asia-Pacific.

"Our Agency is committed to connecting the region through space collaborations and innovations showcasing how space technologies can improve lives across the region.”

~ Enrico Palermo, Head of the Australian Space Agency

Deeping space ties in a thriving Asia-Pacific space ecosystem

Australia’s delegation at APRSAF-31 was led by Head of the Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo, who participated in key plenary sessions alongside heads of space agencies and senior officials. 

Also part of the delegation were Geoscience Australia and CSIRO, who along with the Bureau of Meteorology will chair the Forum’s next Committee on Earth Observation Satellites.

Mr Palermo reinforced Australia’s commitment to its regional partners and Pacific Island Countries during the APRSAF Leaders’ Roundtable, promoting equitable access to satellite data and capacity-building initiatives for disaster resilience.

The Agency also represented Australia at the first-ever Southeast Asia Space Leaders' Forum, which was held on the sidelines of APRSAF – emphasising Australia’s commitment to working with its ASEAN partners to strengthen regional resilience and to boost commercial collaboration between our industries.

Across the Asia-Pacific, space capabilities have advanced rapidly — from niche technologies to national satellite constellations. This growth has been most prominent over the past three decades that have been driven by private initiatives and growing regional cooperation.

Advancing collaborations, standards, and industry links

By fostering partnerships, supporting responsible space practices, and sharing expertise, Australia aims to inspire and empower neighbouring countries to explore space opportunities.

This builds on last year’s success when Australia co-hosted APRSAF-30 in Perth, alongside the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and with support from the Western Australian Government. It brought together over 700 delegates and featured official side events such as the Indo-Pacific Space and Earth Conference and the Andy Thomas Space Education Forum. 

At APRSAF-31, Australia contributed to key working group sessions, including presenting its regulatory framework to the Space Policy and Law Working Group as part of discussions on the benefits of harmonised licensing standards across the region.

Some of the other Agency engagements in the Philippines included:

• Bilateral meetings with partner agencies.
• Advancing cooperation on JAXA’s Martian Moons Exploration mission and exploring opportunities under Japan’s 9.8 billion Space Strategy Fund.
• Supporting the signing of an agreement to support collaboration between the University of Southern Queensland and Philippine Space Agency.

The forum concluded with a keynote address by Philippine President Bongbong Marcos Jr, who called for scaling up space-enabled solutions for climate resilience and sustainable development, emphasising that “space must serve the people.”