In early 2023 the African Union inaugurated its space agency in Cairo, Egypt with intentions to oversee space-related activities on the continent. Due to concerns that Africa is lagging behind in the space race and should do more, the agency has a goal of fostering growth within the African space market and industry. In a sit-down interview with VOA’s Jackson Mvunganyi, Ethiopian American space scientist Brook Lakew, an associate director within the Solar System Exploration Division in NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said that although space exploration requires many resources, it is necessary for Africa to take control of its own environmental and national security and become less reliant on foreign technology.