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By Anthony Maliki
African youths have been exposed to the inner workings of the Chinese space programme when they engaged in an interaction with Taikonauts from the China Tiangong space station.
It was an eye opener for the youngsters from over 25 African countries who participated in the interaction vie video link anchored from the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Tuesday.
The countries included Egypt, Senegal, South Sudan, Kenya, Algeria, Namibia, Somalia, Libya, Gabon, Cameroon, The Gambia, Chad, Sao Tome and Principe, Morocco, Mali, Seychelles and Ghana.
Others are Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Cape Verde, Sudan, Rwanda and Uganda among others in the interaction co-hosted by the Mission of China to the African Union.
The Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation of the African Union Commission, Mohammed Belhocine, noted that the event is another milestone in the gesture of China-Africa cooperation in motivating and engaging young Africans on space matters.
He said Africa is open to engagements with China and the African Outer Space Programme is a flagship of Agenda 2063 focused on four main domains, including Earth Observation, Satellite Communication, Navigation and Positioning and, Astronomy and Space Sciences.
The Head of Mission of China to the African Union, Ambassador Hu Changchun, has said that space cooperation has become a strong point in promoting the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Africa.
Changchun stated it was the first time that Chinese astronauts have interacted directly with young Africans via the Sky-Earth connection, which has sparked a passion for space on the African continent.
He stated that as part of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the African Union, the event received strong support from the aerospace authorities of African countries and Chinese Embassies in Africa, especially the active participation of young Africans, as well as the great media attention.
Changchun said young people were the future and talents and the foundation of recovery and to assist African countries build capacity for self-reliant development, China has trained more than 300, 000 African talents in various fields and provided a number of scholarships for students from the mainland since 2000.
The youngsters asked questions about professional and personal lives of the three taikonauts that participated including how they were selected, their families, how they eat in space, how they relax and what they see of earth from space among others.
Director, Centre for China Studies, Abuja, Charles Onunaiju in an interview with journalists said the interaction is a new frontier of cooperation between China and Africa moving to more practical and advanced level.
He explained that space is very important and useful in developing key technologies and the event is important that a new horizon is being broken into and implored Nigeria to take the issue of space very serious.
Onunaiju noted that space technology is relevant electricity, health technology and a whole range of issues that space research could provide a meaningful solution to Africa.
A participant, 17-year-old, Maryam Shefil said she was excited to see a female among the taikonauts and wanted to be like her.
