Gistin takes part in the UAE-French Space Days in Abu Dhabi

On Monday 12 October 2026, Dr. Justine Sarrau, Gistin's manager, was invited by the UAE Space Agency to speak as a panellist at the UAE-French Space Days, held at the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) in Abu Dhabi. The event was organised by Business France, the Centre national d'études spatiales (CNES) and the UAE Space Agency, in partnership with the French Embassy in the United Arab Emirates. This third edition brought together Emirati institutions and fifteen French companies. The programme combined institutional dialogue, panels on sovereign capabilities, space-data applications, New Space operations and the protection of space assets, as well as business meetings.

During the panel, Justine Sarrau carried a simple message: working on natural hazards is not only about seeing them coming, it is about being able to prepare for them as early as possible. Investing in that preparation is investing in your own future, by protecting your resources, your teams, your residents, down to your village. In a time of climate change, acting at scale has become necessary, and everyone is concerned, whether you work in a government, a municipality or a company, or whether you are simply at home. The question is no longer when, but how well prepared we will be when it happens. So, what are we waiting for? Are we ready?

As an Emirati company led by a French national, Gistin experienced this day as a particularly strong moment, at the meeting point of the two countries' space ecosystems. The panel was an opportunity to explain why Gistin was created: not only to solve problems, but to build solutions for the future in the face of natural and industrial hazards. Its 3D flood-simulation platform, which is also a climate digital twin, GISFlood, lets decision-makers decide, act, protect assets, save on budgets and, above all, save lives. Gistin also offers solutions for other hazards: torrential rain, coastal flooding, wildfires (GISFire) and lightning strikes (GISLightning). The day also allowed the team to meet many players from the space sector and strengthened its resolve to develop collaboration between the Emirates and France.

We warmly thank the UAE Space Agency for its invitation, as well as Business France Middle East, CNES, the ECSSR and the French Embassy in the United Arab Emirates for organising such a rich day. Our thanks go in particular to Her Excellency Marie Audouard, Ambassador of France to the United Arab Emirates, for her attention, to Christelle Astorg-Lepine for her kindness and constant support, to Jean-Marc Astorg for his wise advice, and to Dr Khalid Al Naqbi, moderator of our panel, for the relevance of his question. Thank you also to everyone we met, and to Claire Duverney for the superb photos taken throughout the day.