The Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Space Agency (RSA), Gaspard Twagirayezu, has been appointed Vice President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) during the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2025 in Sydney.
The other newly elected Vice Presidents include Yusuf Kirac, President of the Turkish Space Agency; Nikol Koleva, Executive Director of the Space Generation Advisory Council; and Michael López-Alegría, Chief Astronaut. All will serve a three-year term.
Established in 1951, the IAF is the world’s foremost space advocacy organisation, bringing together space agencies, industry leaders, research institutions, universities and professional societies to promote global cooperation in space exploration and technology development.
Twagirayezu’s appointment underscores Africa’s growing influence in the global space sector and highlights the continent’s expanding role in shaping international space policy, fostering innovation and advancing socio-economic progress through science and technology. His new role comes at a time when the IAC gathers thousands of stakeholders from around the world to discuss emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities in space research and industry collaboration.
He now joins a select group of African leaders who have previously served as IAF Vice Presidents.
Since taking office as CEO of the Rwanda Space Agency on September 11, 2024, Twagirayezu has led initiatives to expand Rwanda’s satellite programmes, strengthen its space policy and regulatory frameworks, and enhance international cooperation. Under his leadership, the RSA has focused on projects in Earth observation to support agriculture and urban planning, capacity-building through academic and industry partnerships, and promoting Rwanda’s active participation in regional and global space initiatives.
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