African Sovereignty in Low Earth Orbit: A Legal Framework
12 min read
African Association for Air & Space Law
The continental authority on Air, Space & Aerospace Law.
AADAS unites jurists, regulators, scholars and innovators advancing aviation, drone and space law across the African continent.
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Mission · Vision
Building Africa’s legal framework for the sky and the stars.
We provide rigorous research, capacity-building, and policy dialogue at the intersection of African sovereignty, global aerospace governance, and emerging technology.
Vision
A continent that writes its own rules for flight, orbit and innovation.
By 2035, AADAS aims to be the reference institution for aerospace legal expertise in Africa — recognised by ICAO, the African Union, and the global academic community.
Why AADAS
Four disciplines. One African voice.
From the courtroom to the launchpad, AADAS works across the legal questions shaping Africa’s future in the sky.
Aviation Law
Commercial aviation, liability, safety regulation and the African Single Air Transport Market.
Space Law
Treaties, national space legislation, satellite operations and the African Space Policy.
Drone Law
UAS frameworks, certification, BVLOS operations, privacy and humanitarian use.
Aerospace Research
Comparative studies, regulatory mapping, and cross-jurisdictional legal analysis.
Why AADAS
Four pillars that make us the premier voice for African aerospace law.
01
Pan-African Network
Members from 38 African jurisdictions, plus diaspora experts across four continents.
02
Rigorous Research
Peer-reviewed publications on Annex 6, drone regulation, space treaties and liability regimes.
03
Capacity Building
Annual conferences, university partnerships, and structured training programmes for the next generation.
04
Policy Influence
Trusted advisory voice for civil aviation authorities, space agencies, and regional regulators.
Africa Legal Map
54 jurisdictions. One living legal atlas.
Track aviation, drone and space legislation across every African state — updated quarterly by our researcher network.
Open the atlasNigeria
Civil Aviation Act 2022
South Africa
Space Affairs Act
Kenya
UAS Regulations 2020
Morocco
Code de l’aviation civile
Egypt
National Space Strategy
Côte d’Ivoire
Code de l’aviation 2024
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Events held
Latest publications
Peer-reviewed papers, policy briefs and legal analysis.
Annex 6 Compliance Across Sub-Saharan Carriers
9 min read
BVLOS Operations and the African Privacy Question
7 min read
Trusted by the people who shape African aerospace.
“AADAS gave African aviation law a serious, sovereign voice in rooms where we were previously absent.”
Hon. Adaeze Okonkwo
Federal Court of Appeal, Nigeria
“The Knowledge Hub is the first resource I open. There is simply nothing comparable on the continent.”
Prof. Kwame Adusei
University of Ghana
“Membership unlocked partnerships that would have taken a decade through traditional channels.”
Aïcha Diop
ARSA — West African Space Agency
Join the continental community for aerospace law.
Three membership tiers. Exclusive resources. A network you cannot build alone.
Become a memberSupport African legal research.
Independent scholarship requires independent funding. Every contribution sustains our work.
DonatePartners & affiliations
ICAO ·African Union ·UNOOSA ·African Space Agency ·University of Cape Town ·ENAC Toulouse ·McGill IASL ·Université Cheikh Anta Diop ·Strathmore Law School ·IATA ·AFCAC ·
ICAO ·African Union ·UNOOSA ·African Space Agency ·University of Cape Town ·ENAC Toulouse ·McGill IASL ·Université Cheikh Anta Diop ·Strathmore Law School ·IATA ·AFCAC ·