Botswana becomes the 68th country in the world to sign the Artemis Accords

Botswana has just signed the Artemis Accords.

In their latest report, the U.S Department of State said it congratulates the Republic of Botswana on joining the Artemis Accords. 

With such development, Botswana therefore becomes the 68th country to sign the Accords to date, pledging its commitment to peaceful exploration and use of space. 

The Minister of Communication and Innovation of Botswana, David Tshere signed the Accords on behalf of the Republic of Botswana on June 25, 2026. 

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Deputy Administrator, Matthew Anderson and State Department Senior Advisor for Space Gregory Autry witnessed and celebrated the signing during the event held at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. 

The United States and Botswana maintain strong science and technology partnerships. 

In March 2025, Botswana launched its first satellite, BOTSAT-1, aboard a SpaceX rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

NASA, in coordination with the U.S. Department of State and seven other initial signatory nations, established the Artemis Accords in 2020.  

With many countries and private companies conducting missions and operations around the Moon, the Artemis Accords provide a common set of principles to enhance the governance of the civil exploration and use of outer space.

The Artemis Accords reinforce the commitment by signatory nations to the Outer Space Treaty, the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior for civil space exploration and use.

The United States and seven other countries established the Artemis Accords in 2020 to serve as a set of practical principles to guide responsible space exploration. 

Botswana joins the United States and 66 other nations in affirming the Accords’ principles for sustainable civil space activity. 

The Department of State and NASA lead the United States’ outreach and implementation of the Accords.

Grounded in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 (OST), the Artemis Accords are a non-binding set of principles designed to guide civil space exploration and use in the 21st century.

Co-led for the United States by the Department of State and NASA, the Artemis Accords were launched on October 13, 2020 with Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

 As of May 2026, there were 67 signatories, and the arrangement continues to bring together nations with a common vision for peaceful, sustainable, and transparent cooperation in space.

The Artemis Accords principles establish a common understanding regarding mutually beneficial practices in the exploration and use of outer space, including activities conducted in support of NASA’s Artemis program. 

These principles, reportedly will help to ensure the maintenance of a safe and predictable outer space environment.

The Artemis Accords signatories as of May 2026 include, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark and the Dominican Republic.

Others are Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, Rwanda and Romania. There is also Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay.