Khalid Al Kaf, Yahsat’s Chief Operations Officer, accepted the TDRA Partner Recognition Award for the company’s role in developing an advanced satellite communications infrastructure in the UAE

The UAE’s flagship satellite solutions provider, Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PJSC, has been honoured for its longstanding relationship with the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority with its Partner Recognition Award.

The award recognises Yahsat’s pivotal role in establishing a cutting-edge satellite telecommunications infrastructure within the UAE, which has given the country a leading position in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. As the UAE’s first and only publicly listed space tech company, Yahsat has been a pioneer in the field of satellite-enabled connectivity and technology. The company is the leading space and satellite entity in the Middle East, posting a record revenue of AED 369 million in Q1 2023.

As one of the top ten global satellite operators, Yahsat is proud of its UAE heritage and committed to developing further the skills and knowledge base of its people with 52.5% of its full-time workforce made up of UAE nationals, making it among the top 4 publicly listed companies in the UAE in terms of Emiratization.

Ali Al Hashemi, Group Chief Executive Officer of Yahsat, said: “We at Yahsat are very proud to have been presented with the TDRA’s Partner Recognition Award. This is a testament to our long and close relationship with the Authority, which has not only been mutually beneficial to both parties but has also helped develop a robust satellite technology base in the UAE. As the country’s leading satellite solutions provider and a key player in the realization of the UAE space strategy 2030, we celebrate our ongoing partnership with the TDRA and look forward to even more success working together in the future.”

The award was presented to Khalid Al Kaf, Yahsat’s Chief Operations Officer during the TDRA’s Annual Partners Gathering held in Abu Dhabi in May during which the regulator hosted and honoured its strategic partners across the public and private sectors. The event covered various activities, including a presentation of the pillars of “We the UAE 2031” Vision, which highlighted the TDRA’s role and mission in regulating the telecommunications sector and enabling digital transformation.

Yahsat and its mobility arm, Thuraya, hold TDRA licenses allowing them to deliver satellite services across the UAE. Together, they constitute a key component of the UAE’s telecom ecosystem. Yahsat continues to be the preferred satellite communications partner of the UAE government, enabling critical connectivity across the country and beyond when terrestrial telecom networks require support.