The Importance of ALCE's Role as a Political Actor Rather Than a Coordinator of Regional Space Activities

Abstract

The Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) was formally created in 2020 with the ALCE Agreement signed by 19 countries from the region. ALCE can be considered a major step towards regional integration in the space sector, driven by its members' political willingness. Nevertheless, the integration process does not finish with the signature of the agreement; it's just the start. There are many levels of integration based on previous regional integration case studies such as Asia's Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO), African Space Agency (ASA), and most notably the most advanced European Union/European Space Agency (ESA) case. As ALCE is starting to construct a regional space ambition, the timing demands from its members how far in the integration process they want to go. From an intergovernmental organisation that only decides on cooperative technical space activities to a fullyintegrated organisation with its own regulatory framework enacting a regional space policy and a regional space programme.Based on the ALCE Agreement, the organisation seems to have only a cooperative role as an intermediary that fosters technical cooperation without political power. This article claims that instead ALCE should go further and seek progressively full integration by shaping a coherent regional space policy by providing the organisation with the political capacity to shape a regional space policy and space programme that addresses the needs of the region in the short-term future.The article presents, firstly, the political willingness of the two forerunners of the region, Mexico and Argentina, to shape regional integration and an overview of space activities in the region. Secondly, APSCO, ASA and Europe integration/ESA cases are introduced to understand levels of integration for ALCE. Thirdly, it is explained that ALCE's benefits of higher integration, notably spillovers and current regional space activities, will make sure Latin America catches up in the next phase of global space activity.