On behalf of NEREUS, Roya Ayazi, Secretary General, and Margarita Chrysaki, Communication/Policy/Project officer, participated in the launch of the Canary Islands aerospace strategy , demonstrating its commitment to empowering regions as key actors in the space ecosystem and highlighting the benefits of European cooperation and partnership.
At the IACTEC Space facility in La Laguna, President Fernando Clavijo presented the Canary Islands Aerospace Strategy (EAC), emphasizing the archipelago’s unique Atlantic location, stable climate, fiscal incentives, and proximity to Africa as competitive advantages. Drawing on infrastructures such as the Canary Islands Space Centre (CEC), the Gran Telescopio Canarias (Grantecan), PLOCAN, and the Canarias Stratoport in Fuerteventura, Clavijo called for a unified framework to attract aerospace investment, promote technology transfer, and generate high-value jobs.
Following the President’s introduction, Director General David Pérez Dionis and consultant Manuel Varela outlined the EAC’s operational approach: creation of an Operational Advisory Committee and a Canary Islands Aerospace Alliance to align priorities, enhance access to national and European funds, and support training and startup initiatives. Pérez Dionis highlighted the Spanish aerospace sector’s €13.9 billion revenue in 2023 and its 215,600-strong workforce, underscoring the urgent opportunity for the islands to diversify their economy through this “boom” industry.
Valentín Martínez Pillet, Director of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), highlighted the Centre’s dual-use capabilities, explaining how technologies developed for astrophysics at IACTEC Space now support environmental monitoring—providing high-resolution satellite imagery for volcanic eruption tracking, drought assessment, and wildfire surveillance—as well as precision agriculture, public safety, and healthcare applications. Following his remarks, Minister Migdalia Machín and Tenerife Island Council Innovation Counselor Juan José Martínez reinforced the importance of public–private partnerships, noting that the region’s universities, research institutes, and local talent will be essential to achieving the Strategy’s objectives.
Highlighting international collaboration, Thierry Cotelle, NEREUS President (Occitanie region), through a recorded message (link) congratulated the Canary Islands for adopting a tailored regional space strategy, underscored the role of interregional best-practice sharing, citing Azores, Catalonia, Hesse, and Occitanie as examples—and highlighted NEREUS’s commitment to strengthening network governance, expanding membership, and integrating satellite data into regional public policies. In a recorded message, NEREUS Board Member Duarte Cota underscored the growing collaboration between the Canary Islands and the Azores on space initiatives, especially in anticipation of the upcoming NEREUS European Symposium to be hosted in the Azores.
With a clear governance structure, dedicated funding channels, and strong partners, such as the IAC and NEREUS, the Canary Islands Aerospace Strategy is set to drive sustainable innovation and economic diversification across the archipelago.
