On March 10, 2026, Kenya's key media outlets gathered for a press event hosted by the Kenya Space Agency (KSA), the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), and the Global Partnership to highlight the importance and opportunities of the upcoming joint event hosted by the Government of Kenya: the Global Data Festival and Kenya Space Expo & Conference.
Acting Director-General of the Kenya Space Agency, Brigadier Hillary Kipkosgey, shared insights on the opportunities satellite technologies present for addressing pressing development concerns, such as disaster preparedness and food security. “Earth observation allows us to monitor the state of the Earth from space without limitations. From that vantage point, we can assess agricultural performance, monitor natural resources, and support both socio-economic development and national security,” he said.
Macdonald George Obudho, Director General of KNBS and one of the founding partners of the Global Partnership, welcomed the joint event as an opportunity to advance coordination across data for development. "The merger that we are having here will reflect the growing convergence between statistics, geospatial information, satellite data, and emerging technologies such as AI in addressing development challenges and improving the lives of citizens," he said.
Jenna Slotin, Interim CEO of the Global Partnership, spoke to the timeliness of the collaboration and the unique opportunity that gathering the data and space ecosystems in Nairobi presents. "The moment demands joining together. It demands partnerships. There are more pressures today with geopolitical changes and technological advancement at a rapid speed — faster, frankly, than governance frameworks can keep up," she said. She added that the joint event is designed to deliver a platform for collective action: "It's designed for people who want to find, share, and co-create actionable ideas, practical coalitions, commitments, and tools to take home and drive real change."
Kenya's Special Envoy on Technology, Philip Thigo, also spoke at the event, sharing insights on Kenya's priorities in advancing data systems and building data capacity in the new era of AI and emerging technologies. "Development today, we can agree, depends on the accuracy of data, the timeliness of data, and how we trust that data," he said.
The Global Data Festival and Kenya Space Expo & Conference takes place June 2–5 at The Edge Convention Centre, Nairobi. Registration is open at www.gdfksec2026.org
Read the media coverage
Capital FM: Africa: Kenya Urges Africa to Invest in Space Technology to Improve Disaster Management
The Star: Kenya to host Global Data Festival and Space Expo as leaders push for data-driven development
The Standard: Africa roots for strong data systems to spur development
Financial Fortune Media: Space sector’s rallying call for further investment ahead of June Global Summit
Y News: Kenya Urges Africa to Invest in Space Technology for Disaster Management
