Djibouti Joins Artemis Accords as 72nd Signatory

On September 14, 2026, Djibouti became the 72nd nation and the eighth African country to sign the Artemis Accords during a ceremony at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D. C. The Accords establish practical principles for transparency, safety, and coordination among countries exploring the Moon, Mars, and beyond. NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson welcomed the new member, noting that the U. S. will lead but will not act alone, and that Artemis Accords nations can contribute hardware, scientific payloads, technology demonstrations, CubeSats, and other capabilities to future missions. Djibouti’s national space program, launched in 2020, has already launched two satellites—Djibouti 1A and Djibouti 1B—on Falcon 9 rockets from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Ambassador Mohamed Siad Douale signed on behalf of Djibouti, expressing a desire to deepen partnership with the United States and the global space community, and to build opportunities in scientific research, satellite applications, education, and technical training for Djibouti’s students, researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs.