Realizing Goals of 2030 Agenda, Assurance of Global Security Require Sharing of Space Technologies, Fourth Committee Hears, as Debate Concludes
Realizing the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the assurance of global security required the sharing of outer space technologies and the adoption of an international code of conduct for their application, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) heard today, as it concluded its general debate on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.
Many delegations expressed support for the principle of non-appropriation of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, and its non‑militarization, saying that space-based technology held immense potential to benefit developed and developing countries alike. The United Nations needed to promote equal, non-discriminatory access to outer space activities, irrespective of levels of social, economic or scientific development, they stressed.
Noting that space activities could assist with programmes in such areas as agriculture, water, telemedicine and global health, El Salvador’s representative welcomed proposals by the European Union and other countries for the creation of a code of conduct on outer space activities. However, multilateral negotiations to that end must be inclusive and held under the auspices of the United Nations, he stressed.
In the same vein, Nigeria’s representative said many developed countries had been taking steps to enhance and promote the capabilities of developing nations in space-based technology through training in the fields of telecommunications, meteorology and remote sensing. All those applications had played an invaluable role in the monitoring of desert encroachment upon the Sahel region of Africa, he noted.
Also in relation to mutual collaboration, India’s representative said his country had taken up a project with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to establish a ground station in Viet Nam for receiving, processing and using data from Indian satellites for a variety of applications, including disaster management support.
Israel’s representative said his country had recently undertaken, with a civil society partner, the provision of Internet access to sub-Saharan African nations via the Israeli AMOS-6 communications satellite. That important venture would provide those in the developing world with equal access to the opportunities offered by modern communications technology, he added.
Other countries, however, warned against overcrowding in outer space and its potential militarization. Ecuador’s representative urged the Outer Space Committee to seek the creation of a treaty that would prohibit the deployment of weapons in outer space because a growing number of actors could create complications in that regard. “A few Member States should not have security at the cost of everyone else on the planet,” he emphasized.
The Russian Federation’s representative said that some Member States regrettably lacked the solidarity to contribute to long-overdue positive changes in space security. Both France, the initiator of the agenda item, and the United States, which had supported it, had difficulties in grasping the various safety aspects of space operations, while the Russian Federation believed in focusing on those essential elements.
In response, the representative of the United States said that both his own country and France had been leaders in developing guidelines on the long-term sustainability of space activities, and any allegations to the contrary were “appalling”. Turning to six applications for membership of the Outer Space Committee, he said it was unfortunate that that matter had been politicized during the Committee’s last session. “These six United Nations Member States deserve better treatment,” he said, adding, in that regard, that his delegation had introduced a draft decision proposing to increase the Committee’s membership.
The representative of the Republic of Korea said that peaceful uses of outer space rested on a conviction that progress in that field should result in lasting benefits for humankind. Contrary to international efforts to promote those activities, however, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea continued to abuse its right to outer space as a pretext to develop its ballistic missile technology, she noted, urging that country to comply fully with its obligations under all relevant Security Council resolutions.
Her counterpart from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea described recent developments in national space activities, including the establishment of that country’s new General Satellite Control Centre. Such peaceful efforts were taking place in the face of “ceaseless challenges and obstructions of hostile forces”. He said the United States was putting pressure on his country on the basis of faults it had found with its satellite launch, which the United States said were in violation of Security Council resolutions.
Also speaking today were representatives of Iraq, Malaysia, Pakistan, Libya, Philippines, Cameroon, Algeria, Argentina, China, Iran and Japan.
Speaking in exercise of the right of reply were representatives of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea.
The Fourth Committee will reconvene Thursday, 22 October, at 3 p.m., to resume general debate on International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space.
Background
The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met this afternoon to resume its general debate on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space. For background information, see Press Release GA/SPD/587 of 19 October.
Statements
Mr. SALEH (Iraq) recalled that his country had launched its first satellite into space in 2014 with the assistance of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and was working to improve its competencies in outer space operations. Thanking various partners for their assistance, he said Iraq had benefited from the peaceful uses of outer space, such as early warning systems, and was also working to improve its hydrological capacity and to follow the movements of internally displaced peoples, in order to provide humanitarian assistance. Iraq attached great importance to the use of outer space for all countries, without discrimination based on capacity, he said. It condemned any attempt to use outer space for military purposes as well as attempts aimed at the militarization of outer space. “This space belongs to no one in particular,” and therefore it must be used peacefully and fairly.
MOHD RIDZWAN SHAHABUDIN (Malaysia), aligning himself with ASEAN, said 2015 had been a pivotal year for sustainable development, with a number of important agreements adopted. Space-based technologies could be crucial to nurturing sustainable development, including by providing information in the areas of disaster risk reduction and climate change mitigation. Malaysia had launched a satellite into space in 2014, with the aim of serving the South-East Asian region. It continued to play a leading regional role in outer space activities, and stood ready to support the Committee in ensuring that all space-based initiatives would be successful at all levels.
BENJAMIN KRASNA (Israel) said one of the main objectives of his country’s national civil space programme was to position the State of Israel as one the five leading space-faring nations, which it aimed to achieve through international cooperation. Earlier this month, Israel had demonstrated such cooperation and commitment by hosting in Jerusalem, for the second time in 60 years, more than 3,500 space researchers and industry representatives, as well as the heads of nearly 40 national space agencies, for the International Astronautical Congress. Among the participants had been representatives from Arab and Muslim countries, including some from the Persian Gulf. Israel had also recently collaborated with United Nations agencies by donating a model of its OPSAT 2000 series satellite to the Outer Space Committee, in addition to having acceded to the United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UN-SPIDER) initiative. Israel had recently undertaken with Facebook, through Israel Aerospace Industries, to provide Internet access to sub-Saharan African nations via the Israeli AMOS-6 communications satellite. That important venture would allow those in the developing world to have equal access to the opportunities offered by modern communications technology, he said.
SAIMA SAYED (Pakistan) said it was the international community’s responsibility to keep outer space secure and sustainable, and in that regard, her delegation had participated in the Working Group on Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities. It had also held open-ended consultations and held formal negotiations on the International Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities. Turning to the mitigation of risks from space debris, she said that, while all measures were needed to keep space debris-free, emerging space-faring nations did not possess the requisite financial and technological resources to comply with the Outer Space Committee’s Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines. The United Nations must give thought to the ways in which it could assist such countries, she said, adding that the Organization could help all stakeholders gain access to research, best practices, technologies and early warning systems to combat the threat of debris. She said Pakistan had consistently opposed the militarization of outer space, emphasizing that it would pose a threat not only to the future of the long-term sustainability of space activities, but also to the future of the human race.
MOHAMED H. S. ELMODIR (Libya) invited Member States to proceed with the development of legal regimes relating to outer space and the protection of the space environment, and to prevent the militarization of outer space, stressing the importance of strengthening cooperation for the exploration of outer space for peaceful purposes. Since space debris posed a major risk, Libya called upon Member States to cooperate in seeking agreement on countering that threat. Space should be used fairly and without discrimination based on capacity or development level. Citing climate change and desertification, he said outer space had a major role to play in sustainable development, and called upon space-faring States not to monopolize information on such issues. An early warning system for natural disasters was critical, and should be shared by all States. He expressed his delegation’s support for UN-SPIDER and said he looked forward to the further development of space technologies.
RUBÉN IGNACIO ZAMORA RIVAS (El Salvador) said outer space provided opportunities to build the world’s technical and human capacity while achieving sustainable development. El Salvador supported measures aimed at preventing the militarization of outer space, and invited those States that had explored it to share their information and knowledge. He recalled that in April 2014, a technical mission from UN-SPIDER to El Salvador had helped his country develop its policy in the area of climate change. In 2015, a second visit had helped the country in the mapping of droughts, among other assistance. Space activities could assist with programmes in such areas as agriculture, water, telemedicine and global health, he said, welcoming proposals by the European Union and other countries for the creation of a code of conduct on outer space activities. However, multilateral negotiations in that regard must be inclusive and held under the auspices of the United Nations. In particular, they must be aimed at preserving and using space for peaceful purposes. Outer space was the common heritage of humankind, and its use should be open to all States, he said, before reiterating his delegation’s interest in becoming a member of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
NOEMI DIAZ (Philippines) said that space-based technology held immense potential to benefit developed and developing countries alike, and that the United Nations needed to promote equal, non-discriminatory access to outer space activities, irrespective of levels of social, economic or scientific development. The Organization must strengthen international cooperation and partnership to help developing countries with enhanced implementation of space activities through finance, technology transfer and capacity-building. Because the Philippines had experience of national disasters, it placed great value on the role of space technology applications in enhancing disaster risk prevention, as well as environmental assessment studies on the impacts of climate change. The Philippines had actively participated as Chair of one of the high-level dialogues during the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction earlier this year, and was pleased that the framework adopted in Japan highlighted the use of space information and space-based technologies. On the international code of conduct, she said developing countries should participate fully in that process within the United Nations framework.
MAMOUDOU MANA (Cameroon) said that, in the context of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals last month, his delegation welcomed the significant contribution of the Outer Space Committee to the protection and peaceful uses of outer space. Cameroon was continuing to play a key role in everyday lives, especially in relation to the uses of satellite technology in navigation, the prevention and management of disasters, Internet communications and weather forecasting. However, space technology had been overshadowed by militarization, as well as space debris, both of which posed a grave threat to the human race, he said. The international community must not only examine the safe uses of space in greater depth, but also strengthen regional and inter-regional cooperation to ensure the development of the relevant norms for space law, and thus preserve the peaceful nature of outer space so that productive activities could be carried out regardless of levels of national development. Without a doubt, the Outer Space Committee constituted the platform for discussions aimed at finding a solution to that challenge and should play a more decisive role, he said.
SERGEY A. LEONIDCHENKO (Russian Federation) said the Outer Space Committee’s success would depend on whether it managed to consolidate the right strategy and realize a very important agenda in the domain of space security. The elaboration of guidelines for the long-term sustainability of outer space activities afforded an opportunity to work out realistic and appropriate solutions to many issues of space security. “There is a need for genuine manifestation of political will,” he said in that regard. The Scientific and Technical Subcommittee had been, on the whole, successful in analysing the risks in outer space, and its efforts inspired hope that the preconditions for the development of a regulatory tool would take shape.
However, some States regretfully lacked the solidarity to contribute to long-overdue positive changes in the area of space security, he said. Both France, initiator of the agenda item, and the United States, which had supported it, had difficulties in grasping the various safety aspects of space operations, he said. The Russian Federation believed in focusing on the essential elements of regulation, such as security, he continued. It alone had identified the wide set of instrumentalities that could fundamentally expand the prospects for sustaining outer space as a safe, operationally stable and conflict-free environment. He said the regulatory functions proposed by his delegation were meaningful and capable of producing positive and enduring policies. At the basic level, those functions encompassed key aspects of the tasks required for hypothetical space traffic management. Unless States reached a meaningful agreement on such regulation, it would be pointless to attempt to develop the topic of space traffic.
KENNETH HODGKINS (United States) highlighted various achievements of the Outer Space Committee, including the progress made by the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and its Working Group on Long-Term Sustainability of Space Activities. The United States delegation believed that topic was very timely due to the increasing number of space actors and spacecraft, as well as increasing space debris. In response to the accusations by the Russian Federation’s representative, he said both the United States and France had been leaders in developing guidelines on the long-term sustainability of space activities, and any allegations to the contrary were “appalling”.
He said the Legal Subcommittee had played a key role in establishing the primary outer space treaties under which space exploration by nations, international organizations and now private entities had flourished. “As a result, space technology and services contribute immeasurably to economic growth and improved quality of life around the world,” he said. The Outer Space Committee and its subcommittees also continued to make significant progress in promoting international space cooperation. It provided a forum for promoting the sharing of benefits from outer space exploration for use by all nations. Finally, he addressed the applications of six Member States to join the Outer Space Committee, saying it was unfortunate that the issue of membership had been politicized during the Committee’s last session. “These six United Nations Member States deserve better treatment,” he added. In that regard, the United States delegation had introduced a draft decision proposing to increase the Committee’s membership.
MUSTAPHA ABBANI (Algeria) recalled that his country had launched its space program, Horizon 2020, in 2006, to gain knowledge of space-based technology and its applications for the attainment of its own economic goals and those of other countries. To that end, Algeria had developed various space-based technologies to support sustainable development in Africa. It had helped to create earth observation satellites and, under UN-SPIDER, carried out cartography and climate change observation of the Sahel region. Algeria had followed with great interest the issues under consideration by the Outer Space Committee and considered the delineation of the line between national air space and outer space significant in guaranteeing equitable access to orbital positions and ending the first‑come‑first‑served nature of natural resource exploitation in outer space. Furthermore, the Outer Space Committee must ensure that guidelines on the commercialization of space prevented abuse.
JOSÉ EDUARDO PROAÑO (Ecuador), associating himself with MERCOSUR, described the Outer Space Committee as the only forum for the development of international space law and for cooperation in the use of outer space. Any space-related initiative should be analysed within that framework and not outside the United Nations. It was up to the Outer Space Committee, therefore, to draft a code of conduct for the use of space, by which all countries must abide, he said, emphasizing that a few Member States should not have security at the cost of everyone else on the planet. Additionally, it was critical that the Committee look to existing developments towards the creation of a treaty that would prohibit the deployment of weapons in outer space, as a growing number of actors could create complications in that regard. Also, the Outer Space Committee needed to give priority to the geostationary orbit and consider it a natural resource legitimately within the reach of all Member States on an equal footing. Ecuador had committed to United Nations space activities not only to attain its development goals, he said, but also to take advantage of UN-SPIDER, which provided a warning system relating to natural disasters, to which his country and its neighbours were especially prone.
GONZALO MAZZEO (Argentina), associating himself with the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), recognized the right of all States to use outer space for peaceful purposes, and reiterated his country’s strict compliance with the principle of universal and equal access of States to outer space, without discrimination based on technical capacity. Likewise, Argentina supported the principle of non-appropriation of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, and its non-militarization. The great progress resulting from space-based technology underscored the importance of international cooperation, he said, cautioning, however, that the use of outer space by an increasing number of actors could have unforeseen consequences. States should never be able to establish restrictions on other States that were within their legitimate rights in using outer space, he emphasized, adding that an arms race in outer space was another major risk. International cooperation would allow the exchange of knowledge and best practices, and could help promote sustainable development. Noting the links between space and water, climate change and natural disasters, he underscored the increasingly important role of space tools for preventing and mitigating the latter.
ZHOU WU (China) said the long-term sustainability of outer space activities was an important item for the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. China was of the view that the current draft guide submitted by the Working Group provided a good basis for the parties to further consider the relevant issues. Turning to the two new items on the Outer Space Committee’s agenda, namely “space traffic management” and “application of international law to small satellite activities”, he said the former had not been properly defined and could overlap with existing agenda items. Over the past year, China’s space industry had continued its rapid growth, he said, describing a number of recent achievements. The country had also continued its vigorous promotion of bilateral and multilateral cooperation, signing 11 inter-governmental and inter-agency agreements with 10 countries.
China had also established three joint committee mechanisms on space cooperation with Argentina, India and Indonesia, he continued. In addition, the year had seen the establishment of a new governmental dialogue mechanism for civil space cooperation between China and the United States. Emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in the area of disaster prevention and mitigation, he went on to recall that, last November, the United Nations-affiliated Asia-Pacific Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education had been inaugurated at Beihang University, in Beijing. With support from the Government of China, the Regional Centre was now in full swing and ready to carry forward its work in various fields, such as geographic information, global satellite navigation and small satellite technology. Outer space was a common heritage of humankind, and ensuring its peaceful uses, opposing its weaponization and preventing an arms race in outer space were the common responsibility of all States, he stressed, adding that China supported international negotiations on a multilateral outer space arms control treaty.
HOSSEIN MALEKI (Iran) said that, as a founding member of the Outer Space Committee in 1958, his country had no doubt that space constituted an important driver of socioeconomic growth in many countries. It could make significant contributions in confronting challenges in the fields of climate change and natural disasters, such as dust storms, droughts and floods — overwhelming problems in Iran and the Middle East. Outer space, therefore, should remain open and peaceful so that all Member States could benefit from its potential equally. He reiterated that the geostationary orbit was a limited resource, the use of which should extend to all Member States, taking into account the geographical location of certain countries, in compliance with the established principles of the normative framework and in accordance with the decisions made by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and other relevant bodies of the United Nations system.
YOON SEOUNGMEE (Republic of Korea) said outer space had become increasingly congested and competitive, with space debris posing a greater risk of collisions. The Republic of Korea attached great importance to international efforts to develop an international code of conduct on outer space activities, as well as to cooperative efforts by the Outer Space Committee to complete the guidelines for long-term sustainability of outer space activities. Contrary to international efforts to promote peaceful space activities, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea continued to abuse the right to peaceful use of outer space as a pretext to develop its ballistic missile technology, she said, urging that country to comply fully with its obligations under all relevant Security Council resolutions, and to refrain from any further launches of ballistic missiles. Peaceful uses of outer space rested on the conviction that progress in that field should result in lasting benefits for humankind, she added.
SURYANARAYAN SRINIVAS PRASAD (India) shared a number of his country’s achievements in outer space activities since the last session of the Outer Space Committee, including the successful launch of its advanced communication satellite in 2014. The same year, India had successfully conducted the first experimental suborbital flight of its latest generation launch vehicle. In 2015, ASTROSAT, the first Indian space-based observatory for multi-wavelength observations of celestial bodies and cosmic sources, had been launched into orbit. India’s space programme continued to integrate advances in space technology and applications with national development goals, he said.
Emphasizing the importance of international cooperation for the peaceful uses of outer space, he said India currently had in place instruments for cooperation with 36 countries and three international organizations. The country had also taken up a project with ASEAN to establish a ground station in Viet Nam for receiving, processing and using data from Indian satellites for a variety of applications, including disaster management support, as well as for the provision of training in space science, technology and applications.
JO JONG CHOL (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) recalled that his country had launched an experimental satellite in 1998 and its first working satellite in December 2012. Describing other recent developments in national space activities, including the establishment of its new General Satellite Control Centre, he said that such peaceful efforts were taking place in the face of “ceaseless challenges and obstructions of hostile forces”. The United States was putting pressure on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on the basis of faults it had found with its satellite launch, which the United States said was in violation of Security Council resolutions. Describing an open and above-board satellite launch as a “violation” was a reckless infringement and a challenge to the sovereignty of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, he emphasized, adding that it was the height of double standards and showed repugnance towards his country.
He went on to stress that his country was firmly resolved to push the frontiers of the latest science and technology in the field of space development. The United States and other hostile forces would have no alternative but to watch the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s satellites soaring into space, one after another, and they would have to realize how illegal and absurd their attempts to check its legitimate satellite launches had been. The United States was also committing an illegal act in using outer space — which was the common wealth of mankind — for military purposes of world domination by establishing missile defence systems in Eastern Europe and North-East Asia. “This gives great concerns to the international community as it is an intolerable provocation to international law for the peaceful use of outer space,” he said.
ATSUSHI SAITO, Director of the Space Policy Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, said his country would contribute to security and stability in the world through space. The Outer Space Committee had an important role to play in that respect, through exchanges of information, reaffirmation of the commitment to international cooperation and a pledge to reinforce the long‑term sustainability of space activities.
ANTHONY BOSAH (Nigeria) said his delegation was aware of the constraints on universal access to the global benefits of space-based technology due to questions of intellectual property rights. It remained imperative that the United Nations ensure that such patents did not constitute another impediment, and that the Organization close the gap in economic and social inequalities. However, it was gratifying to note that some developed countries had been taking steps to enhance and promote the capabilities of developing nations in space-based technology through training in the fields of telecommunications, meteorology and remote sensing, which had been invaluable in monitoring the desert encroachment plaguing countries in Africa’s Sahel region.
Right of Reply
The representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said his country’s satellite launch was a peaceful project aimed at improving national standards of living, but hostile forces, including the Republic of Korea, continued to talk about ballistic missile technology. He asked how other countries launched satellites, and whether it was by magic. He asked his counterpart from the Republic of Korea to point out the articles and terms of the relevant treaties that said only certain Member States could have access to outer space using technology such as ballistic missiles.
The representative of the Republic of Korea, also speaking in exercise of the right of reply, said the Security Council had made clear through its Presidential Statement in 2012 that ballistic missile launches by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea were a serious violation of its resolutions, which had been adopted in response to that country’s repeated nuclear tests. It had no right to claim that it was making peaceful use of outer space.
The representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said that every nation and people were the masters of outer space, which was not the exclusive possession of some countries. Nations that were close to the United States or other Western countries could launch all types of satellites, but those to whom they were hostile did not enjoy the same rights. That was a violation of the principle of equal sovereignty, enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
The representative of the Republic of Korea said that argument demonstrated that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea had no intention of abiding by international norms and standards. Obligations under the United Nations Charter prevailed over any other instrument, he said, reiterating that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea was bound by the relevant Security Council resolutions.