IAF MMOP 2025: Space the Indispensable Ally for Decision-Makers

Since 2009, the International Meetings for Members of Parliaments is the platform that IAF offers to Members of Parliaments from all over the world to foster their dialogue on a global scale with the traditional space community (governmental representatives, agencies, industry, engineers and scientists). Due to the growing interest in the benefits that space technologies can provide to societies of the whole world, starting from 2021 the Meeting has been opened to government representatives in charge of the space policies of their countries.

Participating Ministers, Vice-Ministers, Members of Parliaments and Senators:

Australia

  • Hon. Steve Georganas, Federal Member for Adelaide, Co-convenor of the Federal Parliament’s Parliamentary Friends of Space, representing the Federal Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science Senator the Hon. Tim Ayres, and MMoP 2025 Co-Chair, IAC 2025 Host Country
  • Hon. Anoulack Chanthivong, Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Minister for Building, and Minister for Corrections
  • Hon. Madeleine Ogilvie, Minister for Innovation, Science and the Digital Economy
  • Hon. Melissa Price, Shadow Minister for Science, Shadow Minister for Cyber Security, Federal Government
  • Hon. Stephen Dawson MLC, Minister for Regional Development; Ports; Science and Innovation; Medical Research; Kimberley, Government of Western Australia
  • Hon. Emily Suvaal, Parliamentary Secretary for Trade and Small Business, New South Wales Government
  • Ms. Kareena Arthy, Deputy Director-General, Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate, Australian Capital Territory
  • Ms. Karen Schilling, Defence and Advanced Technology Industry Advocate, Australian Capital Territory Government
  • Avm. Neil Hart, Strategic Defence Advisor- Aerospace & Space, Queensland Government
  • Hon. Trish White, Former Minister for Science, Transport, Urban Development and Planning  

Azerbaijan

  • Hon. Vugar Bayramov, Member of Committee for Economic Policy, Industries and Enterprising , Parliament of Azerbaijan

Bahrain

  • H.E. Fatima bint Jaffer Al Sairafi, Minister of Tourism
  • H.E. Dr. Jehad Abdulla AlFadhel, Second Deputy Chairman, Shura Council
  • H.E. Mrs. Kareema Mohamed Alabbasi, Secretary-General, Shura Council

Brazil

  • Hon. Flávio Arns, Chair of the Senate Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation, Senate of Brazil
  • Hon. Hamilton Mourão, Senator, Senate of Brazil
  • Hon. Marcos Pontes, Astronaut and Senator, Senate of Brazil
  • Hon. Ricardo Barros, Federal Deputy, Chamber of Deputies
  • Hon. André Figueiredo, Federal Deputy, Chamber of Deputies
  • Hon. Zacharias Calil, Federal Deputy, Chamber of Deputies
  • Hon. Jefferson Campos, Federal Deputy, Chamber of Deputies
  • Hon. David Soares, Federal Deputy, Chamber of Deputies
  • Hon. Jefferson Campos, Federal Deputy, Chamber of Deputies
  • HH. Ambassador Fred Arruda, Ambassador of Brazil to Australia

Cyprus

  • Hon. Georgios Komodromos, Permanent Secretary Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy of Cyprus

Estonia

  • Hon. Mario Kadastik, Member of Parliament, Riigikogu - Parliament of Estonia

France

  • Hon. Claude Raynal, Président de la Commission des Finances, Sénat

Germany

  • Hon. Silke Launert, Member of the German Bundestag and Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technologies and Space (BMFTR), Federal Ministry of Research, Technologies and Space (BMFTR)
  • Hon. Klaus Peter Willsch, Chairman Aviation and Space Group of the Bundestag
  • Hon. Kristina Vogt, Minister of Economic Affairs, Labour and Europe Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Europe of Bremen
  • Mr. Hans-Georg Tschupke, Head of the Department of Industry, Innovation and Digitalization Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Europe of Bremen
  • Mr. Christoph Sonnenberg, Press Spokesman, Senate of Bremen

Hungary

  • Hon. Orsoyla Ferencz, Ministerial Commissioner for Space Activities , Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  • HH. Ambassador Zsolt Csenger-Zalán, Ambassador of Hungary in Australia
  • Ms. Kíra Guczogi, Program Director, HUNOR - Hungarian to Orbit
  • Mr. András Éger, Head of Department for HUNOR - Hungarian Astronaut Program, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Italy

  • Mr. Antonio Bartoloni, Director, Office for Space and Aerospace Policies, Prime Minister’s Office
  • Mr. Mauro Piermaria, Head, Service for the Implementation of Space and Aerospace Programmes and Strategies, Office for Space and Aerospace Policies, Prime Minister’s Office

New Zealand

  • Hon. Judith Collins, Minister of Space, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

Norway

  • Hon. Tobias Hangaard Linge, Member, Stortinget - Parliament of Norway
  • Hon. Lene Westgaard-Halle, Member, Stortinget - Parliament of Norway
  • Mr. Bjørn Willy Robstad, Senior Adviser, Stortinget - Parliament of Norway
  • Mr. Christian Hauglie-Hanssen, Director General, Norwegian Space Agency

Romania

  • Hon. Eugen-Remus Negoi, Member of the Committee on Communications, Information Technology, and Artificial Intelligence, Senate of Romania

Slovak Republic

  • Mr. Jakub Birka, General Director of the Research and Development Division, Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth
  • Ms. Kristína Jacková, Space Policy Department – Space Office, Research and Development Section, Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth

South Africa

  • Mr. Humbulani Mudau, CEO, South African National Space Agency
  • Ms. Asanda Ntisana, CEO, South African National Space Agency

South Korea

  • Hon. Myeong-joo Kim, Vice Governor of Gyeongsangnam, Gyeongsangnam-do Province

Spain

  • Ms. Ana María Marín Pérez, Head of the Director's Cabinet, Spanish Space Agency
  • Mr. Carlos García Sacristán, Head of International Relations and Cooperation, Spanish Space Agency
  • Ms. Pilar Soldado Rodríguez, Policy Officer, Spanish Space Agency

Sweden

  • Mr. Jan Eldeblad, Swedish Defence Attaché to Australia and New Zealand, Embassy of Sweden in Australia

The Netherlands

  • Mr. Harm van de Wetering, Swedish Defence Attaché to Australia and New Zealand, Embassy of Sweden in Australia

Türkiye

  • Hon. Zeynep Yildiz, Member of Parliament, Parliament of Türkiye
  • H.E. Ambassador Ufuk Gezer, Embassy of Türkiye in Australia
  • H.E. Belgin Ergüneş, Consul General of the Republic of Türkiye, Turkish Consulate General in Sydney
  • Mr. Cemal Şahin, Antalya Serik District Governor
  • Ms. Emine Doğrukök, Advisor to the Minister, Minister of Industry and Technology
  • Mr. Levent Uca, Secretary General, Saha Istanbul

United Arab Emirates

  • H.E Minister Ahmad Belhoul Alfalasi, Minister of Sports and Chairman of UAE Space Agency
  • H.E Salem Butti Al Qubaisi, Director General, UAE Space Agency
  • H.E Ibrahim Al Qasim, Deputy Director General, UAE Space Agency
  • Ms. Fatima Salem Al Shamsi, Acting Director, Space Policies and Int'l Relations Department, UAE Space Agency

United States

  • Mr. Thomas Sullivan, Head, Office of International Affairs, US Department of State

Uzbekistan

  • Hon. Sherzod Shermatov, Minister of Digital Technologies
  • Ms. Umida Musayeva, Head of the department, Ministry of Digital Technologies
  • Mr. Sarvarbek Sadullaev, Head of the department, Ministry of Digital Technologies

Welcome Remarks:

  • Clay Mowry, President, International Astronautical Federation (IAF)
  • Hon. Steve Georganas, Federal Member for Adelaide, Co-convenor of the Federal Parliament’s Parliamentary Friends of Space, representing the Federal Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science Senator the Hon. Tim Ayres, and MMoP 2025 Co-Chair, IAC 2025 Host Country
  • Hon. Emily Suvaal, Parliamentary Secretary for Trade and Small Business, New South Wales Government
  • Hon. Judith Collins, Minister of Space, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
  • Hon. Dominique Tilmans, Special Advisor to the IAF President on Parliamentarian and Ministerial Relations and Master of Ceremony of the 15th IAF MMoP Meeting, International Astronautical Federation (IAF)

Keynote Speakers:

  • Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programmes and Head of ESRIN, European Space Agency (ESA) - Session 1: Space for Disaster and Risk Management
  • Salem Al Qubaisi, Director General, UAE Space Agency – Session 2: Space in Support of Society
  • Enrico Palermo, Director General, UAE Space Agency – Session 3: Space-based Solutions to Safeguard Life on Earth

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