Morocco Signs Artemis Accords as 64th Nation — Fifth African Country to Join U.S.-Led Space Framework

On April 29, Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita signed the Artemis Accords in a ceremony in Rabat, making Morocco the 64th nation to commit to the principles of peaceful, transparent civil space exploration — and the fifth African country to join the U.S.-led framework. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and U.S. Ambassador to Morocco Duke Buchan III witnessed the signing during Landau's broader North Africa tour. The signing coincided with the 250th anniversary of U.S.-Moroccan diplomatic relations, the longest unbroken bilateral relationship between the United States and any nation. The State Department welcomed Morocco as one that 'will contribute to building a stable, secure, and prosperous future in space.' Morocco joins Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Egypt as African signatories. Unlike most prior accords signings conducted at NASA's Mary W. Jackson Headquarters in Washington, the Morocco ceremony was conducted bilaterally in Rabat, reflecting the diplomatic weight of the occasion. The Artemis Accords, launched in October 2020 with eight founding nations, commit signatories to: conducting space activities in a peaceful manner, providing transparency, sharing scientific data, registering space objects, observing the Outer Space Treaty, and protecting historic space heritage sites. Following Jordan's signing as 63rd nation on April 23, 2026, Morocco's accession brings the total to 64 countries in 20 months — a marked acceleration in international buy-in following Artemis II's successful crewed lunar flyby on April 1–10, 2026.