Strengthening Global Disaster Response: The longstanding collaboration between UNOOSA and the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters
Since its inception, the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters has actively sought collaboration with external partners to maximize the impact of its services. This has included close engagement with the international humanitarian community, particularly United Nations organizations. In many emergencies, nationally mandated disaster risk management (DRM) authorities may lack the technical capacity, resources, or institutional arrangements needed to access and effectively use Earth observation (EO)-based disaster response services. This challenge is especially evident in fragile and developing countries where international humanitarian assistance programmes often play a central role in disaster response.
To address this gap, the Charter established partnerships with two UN organisations: UNOOSA and UNITAR/UNOSAT, which can act as trusted intermediaries between the Charter and the humanitarian community. These organizations help raise awareness of the Charter's capabilities, facilitate access to its services for eligible users, and channel requests from UN agencies and disaster management authorities that may not yet have direct access through an Authorized User.
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), as the central UN body for space affairs, plays a pivotal role in advancing the peaceful use of space technologies. UNOOSA is committed to ensuring that all countries—particularly developing nations—can access and benefit from space-based solutions to support sustainable development.
UNOOSA promotes international cooperation in the peaceful exploration and use of outer space, and in leveraging space science and technology for sustainable economic and social progress. The Office assists United Nations Member States in establishing legal and regulatory frameworks for space activities, while also strengthening the capacity of developing countries to harness space technologies for national development. This includes integrating space capabilities into national development strategies and programs.
The United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER), established in 2006 as a key component of UNOOSA, supports countries in using space-based data—such as satellite imagery—for disaster prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. UN-SPIDER’s mission is clear: “To ensure that all countries and international and regional organizations have access to, and the capacity to use, all types of space-based information to support the full disaster management cycle.”
Remote sensing, satellite communications, and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) are essential tools for enhancing disaster risk reduction and emergency response. UN-SPIDER’s mandate is to enable developing countries to effectively utilize space-based information across all phases of the disaster management cycle—prevention, preparedness, early warning, response, and recovery.
Through knowledge sharing and institutional capacity building, UN-SPIDER strengthens national and regional efforts to reduce disaster risk and improve response operations. It also fosters collaboration between space data providers and end-users—including policymakers, disaster risk managers, and emergency responders—ensuring a more efficient flow of critical information between stakeholders and affected communities.
The International Charter: Space and Major Disasters is a global alliance of 17 space agencies that provides free and rapid satellite data during major natural disasters to support emergency response efforts. Since its inception in 2000, the Charter has been activated over 1,100 times worldwide, responding to events such as floods, volcanic eruptions, wildfires, and earthquakes.
Expanding Global Access to the Charter: The Universal Access Initiative
The Charter’s primary objective is to support disaster response authorities—especially those in countries without their own satellite systems—by granting them access to critical space data during crises. In recent years, the International Charter has collaborated closely with UNOOSA to help national disaster management agencies become “Authorized Users”, who can request emergency observation to the Charter in case of major disasters.
Any national disaster management authority can submit a request to the Charter for emergency support, regardless of whether their country is a member of the Charter. This inclusive approach is central to the Charter’s Universal Access Initiative, which aims to ensure equitable access to space-based information for all.
UNOOSA staff have actively promoted the Charter’s benefits, particularly the Universal Access Initiative, highlighting its transformative potential for disaster resilience.
In recent years, joint efforts have enabled the following countries to join the Charter’s Universal Access Initiative:
- National Center for Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management (NCCM), Libya
- Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic (MES KR), Hazards Monitoring and Forecasting Department (HMFD)
- Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Jamaica
- Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), Republic of Zambia
- Somalia Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA), Somalia
Joint Crisis Response Efforts: UNOOSA and the International Charter in Action
Over the past years, UNOOSA and the International Charter have collaborated on multiple disaster response activations, including:
- Flood - Morocco, UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER, on behalf of the Royal Center for Remote Sensing (CRTS), Rabat, Morocco — December 2025
- Flood – Uruguay, UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER, on behalf of the National Emergency System (SINAE) of the Presidency of Uruguay — May 2024
- Flood – Morocco, UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER, on behalf of the Royal Center for Spatial Teledetection (CRTS), Kingdom of Morocco — September 2024
- Wildfire - Guatemala, UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER, on behalf of the National Coordinating Agency for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) — February 2024
UNOOSA has also supported the identification of qualified project managers for Charter activations through its global network of UN-SPIDER Regional Support Offices, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of response efforts.
Strengthening Capacity Together: Training and Knowledge Transfer
Capacity building lies at the heart of UN-SPIDER’s mission. In February 2026, a three-and-a-half day regional training course on disaster management was jointly organized by UN-SPIDER, the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters, and the Zentrum für Fernerkundung (ZFL) at the University of Bonn, held in Nairobi, Kenya.
The training gathered 59 participants from eight countries: Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania and Ethiopia. The training equipped national disaster management authorities, project managers, early warning specialists, and remote-sensing analysts with practical skills to access, process, and apply satellite data during emergencies. Participants gained hands-on experience using the Charter’s mechanisms to rapidly acquire and analyze Earth observation data. The event strengthened regional cooperation and advanced the integration of space-based technologies into national disaster prevention and response frameworks.
For many years, the Charter has maintained close collaboration with UNOOSA to improve access to satellite-based emergency support worldwide. Together, they help disaster management authorities strengthen disaster response capabilities through capacity building, knowledge transfer, and operational support in the case of major disasters in countries with active UN programs.
Lóránt Czárán, Chief of the Space Applications Section at UNOOSA, emphasized the importance of this partnership: “The collaboration between UNOOSA and the International Charter is vital for empowering disaster management authorities—especially in Africa—with the tools they need to confront the growing challenges posed by climate change.”