The International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) has established new coordinating offices in Armenia, Colombia, Jordan, Nigeria and Portugal.

Supporting the use of astronomy as a tool for development in specific regions and languages, the new partnerships form part of the IAU’s decadal strategic plan — which aims to realise the societal benefits of astronomy, organization said in a statement.

The agreements were signed at the Hawai'i Convention Centre in Honolulu, Hawai'i, during the IAU’s triennial General Assembly.

The five new offices will perform two important functions. Regional offices will coordinate astronomy for development activities in nearby countries, whilst language expertise centres will deal with language and/or cultural aspects. Each of the offices will be hosted by a local institution or consortium of institutes and supported in their efforts by regional partners.

The South West Asian Regional Office, will be hosted at the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) in Armenia.