EO AFRICA as an African-European R&D partnership is coordinated with the operational GMES & Africa initiative led by the African Union Commission (AUC) and is based on requirements and capacities available from African regional centers and programs. With this initiative, ESA aims to enhance its contribution to existing partnerships at European level with the European Commission, at African level with the AUC and national institutions, and internationally with a range of UN agencies. EO AFRICA activities will develop scientific expertise in the African EO sector and can prepare the ground for the pre-operational developments of more specific information solutions in Africa addressed for example in the ESA Global Development Assistance (GDA) initiative.