AGP Executive Report

Space & Science: The China-Europe SMILE mission has entered science operations after an in-orbit test review, releasing first aurora images and data from four instruments—highlighting a full northern lights ring in ultraviolet and setting up major X-ray views of Earth’s magnetopause in mid-October. Spaceport & Launch Industry: PLD Space and CNES have signed an agreement to expand commercial launch infrastructure at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, aiming to add a second pad at ELM-Diamant to boost throughput for MIURA 5/9. Connectivity for the Region: EllaLink advanced its Caribbean Gateway into the development phase, with a planned open-access submarine cable from Cayenne to Martinique/Guadeloupe and a western branch to Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, targeting service by end-2029. Aviation Links: Guyana and France renewed an Air Services Agreement to expand connectivity, including a proposed route to Cayenne. Local Tech & Governance: Saint-Martin’s Executive Council approved European education funding and a €1.49M payment schedule tied to a Computech contract dispute. Health Policy: Costa Rica will require yellow fever vaccination certificates for travel to eight new destinations starting Oct. 1, including French Guiana.

Spaceport & Launch Infrastructure: PLD Space and CNES signed a deal to study adding a second launch pad at the ELM-Diamant complex at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, aiming to boost throughput for MIURA 5 and MIURA 9 and support both European government and commercial missions. Space Science (SMILE): The China-Europe SMILE mission has entered science operations after commissioning, releasing first aurora and other early images/data; teams say the key X-ray view of Earth’s magnetopause should come in mid-October once stray-light issues are fixed. Connectivity for the Region: EllaLink advanced its Caribbean Gateway into the development phase, planning an open, carrier-neutral submarine system from Cayenne to Martinique/Guadeloupe with a western leg to Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, targeting service by end-2029. Regional Aviation Links: Guyana and France renewed an Air Services Agreement that could expand connectivity, including a proposed route to Cayenne, with interest from French aviation and tech companies. Digital Government & AI: Trinidad and Tobago used CTU ICT Week 2026 in Cayenne to push regional dialogue on digital government, AI, innovation and inclusive development.

Space & Defense: Canada signed a $2.3B deal for a secure military satellite network, with Lightspeed set to expand from 156 to 225 low-orbit satellites—built by MDA and aiming for service from 2028, but launch still depends on SpaceX. Guiana Spaceport Boost: PLD Space and CNES agreed to study adding a second launch pad at Kourou’s ELM-Diamant complex to raise throughput for MIURA 5/9 missions, aligning with Europe’s push for more commercial launch access. Aurora Science from Kourou: The China-Europe SMILE mission is now in science operations, releasing first aurora images and data; teams say a clearer X-ray view of Earth’s magnetopause should come in mid-October. Caribbean Connectivity via Cayenne: EllaLink moved its Caribbean Gateway into the development phase, planning an open, carrier-neutral fiber route starting in Cayenne to Martinique/Guadeloupe and onward to Aruba/Curacao/Bonaire, targeting service by end-2029. Regional Tech Governance: CTU ICT Week 2026 in Cayenne highlighted digital government, AI, and cybersecurity, while St. Vincent and the Grenadines elected CTU vice-president and St. Kitts’ Konris Maynard took CTU presidency. Aviation Links: Guyana and France renewed aviation cooperation, including a possible service to Cayenne.

Space Tech (French Guiana launch): The China-Europe SMILE satellite—launched from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou—has entered science operations and released first aurora images, including a full Northern Lights ring in ultraviolet, while engineers work toward the first high-quality X-ray view of Earth’s magnetopause in mid-October. Space Weather: ESA says the mission’s four instruments (soft X-ray, UV aurora imaging, magnetometer, and ion analysis) will help track how solar storms disrupt satellites, power grids, and communications. Connectivity (Caribbean Gateway): EllaLink advanced its Caribbean Gateway into the development phase, with a Cayenne-to-Martinique/Guadeloupe trunk and a western leg to Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire, aiming for service by end-2029. Local Governance (Saint-Martin): Saint-Martin’s Executive Council approved €2.84M in European education funding and a projected €1.49M payment schedule tied to a Computech contract dispute. Regional Digital Policy (CTU ICT Week): CTU ICT Week 2026 in Cayenne highlighted Caribbean priorities like resilience, inclusion, AI, and cybersecurity, with leadership elections including Konris Maynard as CTU President. Defense Industry (Virginia): Avio USA broke ground on a solid rocket motor plant in Hurt, Virginia, targeting thousands of motors annually and about 1,500 jobs.

Space Weather Watch: The China-Europe SMILE mission has entered regular science operations, releasing first aurora and other early images/data; with its ultraviolet camera now running, SMILE is the first spacecraft since 2008 to capture the full ring of northern lights around the North Pole in UV, helping scientists track how solar wind drives space weather that can disrupt satellites, power grids, and communications. Kourou Launch Link: SMILE launched May 19, 2026 from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, and after commissioning it reached its working orbit in June—now delivering panoramic aurora views plus first measurements of magnetic fields and ions. Regional Connectivity: EllaLink’s EllaLink Caribbean Gateway initiative officially moves into the development phase, with a new submarine cable corridor starting from Cayenne to Martinique/Guadeloupe and onward branches for Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire, aiming for service by end-2029. Caribbean Digital Policy: CTU ICT Week 2026 in Cayenne spotlights digital government, AI, inclusion, and cybersecurity, with Trinidad and Tobago and other leaders pushing for practical regional coordination. Defense Industry: Avio USA broke ground in Hurt, Virginia, on a new solid rocket motor plant to expand U.S. missile/munitions production capacity and create about 1,500 jobs.

Space & Earth Observation: ESA boosted climate-monitoring with Teledyne sensor tech on Sentinel-3C and FLEX, launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, aiming to sharpen ocean, land, vegetation and atmosphere tracking. Connectivity for the Caribbean: EllaLink officially launched the EllaLink Caribbean Gateway, a new submarine cable system starting in Cayenne and reaching Martinique/Guadeloupe with a western segment for Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, targeting service by end-2029. Regional Digital Governance: CTU ICT Week 2026 in Cayenne pushed AI, cybersecurity and inclusion, with Trinidad and Tobago’s iGovTT and ministers calling for coordinated digital government and responsible AI frameworks. CTU Leadership: Konris Maynard was elected CTU President, while Phillip Jackson and Dominic Smith featured in ministerial sessions shaping the next regional telecom and ICT agenda. Security & Crime Cooperation: Guyana urged faster, coordinated regional action against transnational organised crime as INTERPOL Americas convened in Georgetown, warning that delays in intelligence sharing let criminals exploit borders. Climate Science: Research highlights how drought can shut down forest photosynthesis, turning forests from carbon sinks into net CO₂ emitters. Health Rules: Costa Rica will require a digital yellow fever vaccination certificate for travel to eight new destinations from Oct 1, including French Guiana. Space Policy Watch: The European Commission warned autonomous access to space is at risk without stronger launch capacity, pointing to the French Guiana spaceport and a more coordinated ground network.

Climate & Forests: New research warns that during droughts, forests can shut down photosynthesis and even start emitting more CO₂ than they absorb, putting climate mitigation at risk as dry spells become more common. Health Travel Rules: Costa Rica will require a digital yellow fever vaccination certificate from Oct. 1 for travel to eight higher-risk destinations, including French Guiana, with exemptions for age, pregnancy/breastfeeding, and severe immunosuppression. Space from French Guiana: ESA launched Sentinel-3C and FLEX from Kourou on Vega-C, boosting Earth monitoring for oceans, land, vegetation, and atmosphere; ESA also highlighted Teledyne sensor tech flying on Sentinel-3C. Space Policy: The European Commission is pushing for autonomous EU access to space and stronger launch capacity, proposing better coordination using the French Guiana spaceport network. Caribbean Telecom in French Guiana: CTU ICT Week 2026 in French territory saw leadership changes, with Konris Maynard elected CTU President and Phillip Jackson urging AI governance and digital inclusion. Regional Security: Guyana called for faster, coordinated intelligence sharing against transnational organised crime as INTERPOL Americas convened in Georgetown.

Yellow Fever Rules: Costa Rica will require an International Certificate of Vaccination for travel starting Oct 1 to eight yellow-fever-risk destinations, including French Guiana, with a 10-day pre-trip vaccine timing and exemptions for infants, seniors, pregnancy/breastfeeding, and severe immunosuppression or allergies. CTU Leadership in French Guiana: Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) ICT Week 2026 in French Guiana saw Hon. Phillip Jackson and others attend ministerial sessions, while St. Kitts and Nevis’ Konris Maynard was elected CTU President (and earlier Minister Jackson elected as CTU Vice-President), pushing themes like AI, inclusion, cybersecurity, and digital governance. Regional Security Push: Guyana called for faster, coordinated regional action against transnational organised crime as INTERPOL Americas convened in Georgetown, warning criminals exploit gaps between jurisdictions; a wider crackdown (ATLAS NEXUS) reported 490+ arrests and 156.9 tonnes seized across 35 countries. Space From Kourou: ESA’s Sentinel-3C and FLEX satellites launched from French Guiana on Vega-C, boosting Earth observation for oceans, land, vegetation, and atmosphere; ESA also highlighted Teledyne sensor tech and the role of vibration protection for payloads during Ariane 6 launches. Digital Infrastructure: EllaLink laid subsea branching units for future cable links to Brazil’s Pará and Maranhão, using the French Guiana-to-EllaLink backbone to keep expansion scalable.

CTU ICT Week in French Guiana: St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Minister Phillip Jackson was elected CTU Council Vice-President on Wednesday, with the election held during the CTU’s 32nd General Conference of Ministers in French Guiana, as regional leaders push AI, cybersecurity, and digital inclusion across the Caribbean. CTU Leadership Shift: Konris Maynard (St. Kitts and Nevis) was elected CTU President, setting up a new push for stronger regional coordination on telecom and digital policy. Regional Security & Crime: Guyana urged faster, coordinated action against transnational organised crime at the INTERPOL Americas conference, warning that criminals exploit delays and gaps between agencies—while Operation ATLAS NEXUS wrapped up with 490+ arrests and 156.9 tonnes of drugs seized across 35 countries. Space from French Guiana: ESA launched Sentinel-3C and FLEX from Kourou on a Vega C rocket, boosting Earth observation for oceans, land, and climate monitoring. Space Policy: The EU is calling for autonomous access to space, warning launch capacity and ground infrastructure must scale up to meet rising satellite demand.

CTU ICT Week in French Guiana: St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Minister Phillip Jackson was elected Vice-President of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s Council of Ministers, as the CTU’s 32nd General Conference continues in French territory, with regional leaders also pointing to AI, cybersecurity, and digital inclusion as priorities. Regional Crime Response: Guyana urged faster, coordinated intelligence-sharing as INTERPOL’s Americas conference opened in Georgetown, warning that criminals exploit delays between agencies and borders; the same push for cross-border action is echoed by Operation ATLAS NEXUS, which reported 490+ arrests and 156.9 tonnes of drugs seized across 35 countries. Space & Earth Observation: ESA boosted climate monitoring with Teledyne sensor tech on Sentinel-3C and FLEX, launched from French Guiana, while JUICE’s upcoming Earth flyby will use gravity assist to keep its Jupiter mission on track. Connectivity in the Region: EllaLink says branching units for future Pará and Maranhão cable links have been laid on the seabed, expanding the French Guiana-to-Europe system into a scalable network. Digital Policy & Finance: Suriname approved rules to supervise virtual-asset service providers, even as small Bitcoin merchant networks were already operating ahead of the law.

CTU ICT Week in French Guiana: St. Vincent and the Grenadines elected Minister Phillip Jackson to serve as Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) Vice-President, with the election held during the CTU’s 32nd General Conference of Ministers on Sept. 23. CTU Leadership Shift: Konris Maynard (St. Kitts and Nevis) was also elected CTU President, setting a regional agenda around resilience, inclusion, AI, cybersecurity, and coordinated digital policy. Regional Security & Tech: Guyana urged faster, coordinated intelligence-sharing as INTERPOL’s Americas conference opened in Georgetown, warning that delays let cross-border criminals exploit legal and operational gaps. Cross-border Crime Crackdown: Operation ATLAS NEXUS wrapped up with 490+ arrests and 156.9 tonnes seized across drug trafficking, firearms, document fraud, human trafficking, and environmental crime, involving 35 countries. Space for Climate Monitoring: ESA launched Sentinel-3C and FLEX from French Guiana on a Vega C rocket, boosting Earth observation for oceans, land, vegetation, and atmosphere. Space Infrastructure in the Region: EllaLink laid branching units for future Pará and Maranhão cable links, expanding French Guiana’s role as a connectivity hub. EU Space Autonomy: The European Commission pushed for autonomous access to space and stronger launch capacity, warning Europe’s space future is at risk without investment.

CTU Leadership in French Guiana: St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Minister Phillip Jackson was elected Vice-President of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) during CTU ICT Week 2026, with Konris Maynard (St. Kitts and Nevis) taking the CTU presidency—both moves underline a push for stronger regional coordination on digital transformation, AI governance, inclusion, and cybersecurity. Regional Crime & Intelligence Sharing: Guyana’s Prime Minister Mark Phillips urged faster, coordinated action against transnational organised crime at the INTERPOL Americas conference, warning that delays in intelligence sharing let criminals exploit legal and jurisdiction gaps. Space Tech from French Guiana: ESA boosted Earth monitoring with Sentinel-3C and FLEX, launched from the European Spaceport in French Guiana on a Vega C rocket, using Teledyne CCD detectors for ocean, land, and vegetation observations. Subsea Connectivity for the Amazon: EllaLink laid branching units for future Pará and Maranhão cable branches, extending the Cayenne-to-EllaLink network so Brazil can scale without major deep-water disruption. EU Space Autonomy: The European Commission called for autonomous access to space and stronger EU launch capacity as satellite demand rises, warning Europe’s space ambitions are at risk without coordinated ground and launch infrastructure. Caribbean Digital Policy: CTU ministers used ICT Week to argue the region can’t afford “21 disconnected digital transformations,” pushing shared capability and a stronger collective voice with global tech partners.

Caribbean Telecom Leadership in French Guiana: St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Minister Phillip Jackson was elected Vice-President of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) Council of Ministers during CTU ICT Week 2026 in French Guiana, as the region pushes AI governance, digital inclusion, and cybersecurity. CTU Presidency Shift: Konris Maynard (St. Kitts and Nevis) was elected CTU President on 23 Sept, setting up a new push for regional coordination on AI and digital policy. Regional Crime Crackdown: Guyana urged faster, coordinated intelligence sharing at the INTERPOL Americas conference, warning that delays let criminals exploit cross-border gaps; the wider Operation ATLAS NEXUS effort reported 490+ arrests and major drug, weapons, and asset seizures across 35 countries. Space Tech from French Guiana: ESA launched Sentinel-3C and FLEX from Kourou to boost Earth observation and climate monitoring, while JUICE’s upcoming Earth flyby will use a gravity assist to speed toward Jupiter. Digital Infrastructure for the Region: EllaLink says branching units for future Brazilian cable links to Pará and Maranhão are now laid on the seabed, supporting subsea connectivity growth.

CTU ICT Week in French Guiana: St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Phillip Jackson was elected CTU Vice-President, with Konris Maynard (St. Kitts and Nevis) taking the CTU presidency—both moves underline how Caribbean telecom policy is being shaped right here in French territory. Regional security & policing: Guyana urged faster, coordinated cross-border intelligence sharing at the INTERPOL Americas conference, warning that delays let criminals exploit legal gaps; the same theme echoed in Operation ATLAS NEXUS, which wrapped up with 490+ arrests and 156.9 tonnes of drugs and other seizures across dozens of countries. Space from Kourou to orbit: ESA launched Sentinel-3C and FLEX from French Guiana on Vega-C, boosting Earth monitoring for oceans, land, weather and vegetation; meanwhile, JUICE’s upcoming Earth flyby will use gravity assist to keep its Jupiter mission on track. EU space autonomy: The European Commission pushed for autonomous access to space and stronger launch capacity, proposing better coordination using the French Guiana spaceport. Caribbean digital governance: CTU ministers discussed AI, data governance and “digital police” leadership, stressing shared frameworks for responsible AI use. Crypto regulation in Suriname: Suriname approved a law supervising virtual-asset service providers, while small Bitcoin merchant networks were already operating ahead of the rules.

Regional Security: Guyana is pushing for faster, more coordinated action against transnational organised crime as the INTERPOL Americas conference opens in Georgetown, warning that criminals exploit gaps between agencies and borders when intelligence sharing is slow. Cross-Border Crackdown: Operation ATLAS NEXUS wrapped up with 490+ arrests and 156.9 tonnes seized across 35 countries, targeting drugs, firearms, document fraud, human trafficking and environmental crime. Space From French Guiana: ESA’s Sentinel-3C and FLEX launched from Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana, boosting climate and ocean monitoring with new sensor tech from Teledyne. Space Policy & Access: The European Commission is urging autonomous EU access to space and a stronger launch network, pointing to French Guiana’s spaceport as part of a coordinated system. Caribbean Telecom Leadership: Konris Maynard was elected President of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union during CTU ICT Week 2026 in French Guiana, with AI and digital policy high on the agenda.

INTERPOL & Regional Security: Guyana’s Prime Minister Mark Phillips urged faster, coordinated action against transnational organised crime as the INTERPOL Americas Regional Conference opens in Georgetown, warning criminals exploit ports, waterways, finance gaps, and slow intelligence sharing. Space From French Guiana: ESA launched Sentinel-3C and FLEX from the European Spaceport in Kourou, boosting climate and ocean/land monitoring with Teledyne sensor tech and vegetation fluorescence science. EU Space Autonomy: The European Commission pushed for secure, autonomous access to space, calling for stronger launch capacity and better coordination of ground and spaceport infrastructure, including French Guiana. Caribbean Telecom Leadership: Konris Maynard was elected President of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union during CTU ICT Week 2026 in French Guiana, with ministers focusing on AI, data governance, inclusion, and regional digital coordination. Digital Connectivity in the Region: EllaLink laid deepwater branching units for future Brazilian Amazon cable connections from Cayenne, supporting scalable expansion without disrupting the main route. Crime Crackdown Results: Operation ATLAS NEXUS wrapped up with 490+ arrests and major seizures across drug trafficking, firearms, document fraud, and environmental crime, with Guyana among participating countries.