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العربية Digital Earth Africa
About Us
Unlocking the promise of tomorrow from patterns of the past
Digital Earth Africa aims to improve the lives across Africa by providing planners and policy makers with crucial Earth observation information to support better decision making, and through enhanced access to satellite data to progress sustainable development outcomes.
This encompasses livelihood strengthening, where Earth observation data will support more informed decision making at government, sectoral and other levels, contributing to direct and indirect benefits for individuals and communities.
Digital Earth Africa
Partnerships
We are built on partnerships with African governance and in-country expertise to create sustained capability development in Africa. Digital Earth Africa is working with the African and international community to ensure that Earth observation data is analysis ready, rapidly available and readily accessible to meet the needs of our users.
Digital Earth Africa Funders
Now in its third phase, Digital Earth Africa receives support from the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust and the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), with continued commitments from Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Esri to provide in-kind support that is crucial to the operational success of the platform, and to reaching a wider user base.
The first two phases of Digital Earth Africa sought to institutionalise and embed the program in the African continent. Phase III of Digital Earth Africa creates additional value from the science, technology and institutional arrangements established in Phase II (2019-2023), by driving uptake of Digital Earth Africa and delivering impact.
Governing Principles
Digital Earth Africa has been founded on a number of Governing Principles. These sit at the heart of who we are and what we do.
Accountability and transparency
The decision-making process of the governance framework should be accountable and transparent to the broader Digital Earth Africa community.
- Responsive to African priorities
- Agile, nimble and actions oriented
Diversity and inclusion
Digital Earth Africa seeks to be an exemplar of diversity and inclusiveness. The governance framework is mindful particularly of gender and geographic diversity in its makeup at all levels.
- Multi-sector perspectives
- Span data communities
- Foster collaboration
Operational Service
Digital Earth Africa provides an operational service delivering data and products available for the entire continent.
- Continental-scale
- Sustainable
- Domain expertise
Open and Free Data
Digital Earth Africa serves as a public good by providing free and open data and products to all its users.
- Interoperability
- Privacy and Integrity
Long-term Digital Earth Africa Goal
Digital Earth Africa seeks to be responsive to the needs, challenges and priorities across countries while leveraging and building on existing capacity to ensure uptake of data products into decision-making processes.
Livelihood strengthening
Earth Observation data will support more informed decision making at government, sectoral and other levels, contributing to direct and indirect benefits for individuals and communities.
Development effectiveness
Digital Earth Africa will support enhanced understanding of development challenges and solutions, and in so doing, strengthen collective impact and ability to assess progress towards national priorities, African Union’s Agenda2063 and the UN SDGs.
Digital transformation
Through industry uptake and innovations, Digital Earth Africa will help to fuel the ongoing evolution of the digital economy in Africa.
Economic development and job creation
Through access to data for commercial products and services development, Digital Earth Africa will support business development and employment opportunities.
Impact Stories
May 15, 2025
Mapping the coast to save the past: Satellite data supports cultural heritage in Africa
