‘We Are, We Were and We Will Remain Cooperative in All Space Activities,’ Says India during Fourth Committee’s Consideration of Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
Voicing strong commitment to international cooperation, delegates in the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) today stressed the importance of sharing space technology for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, while commending the effectiveness and relevance of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
As consideration continued of international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, India’s representative said: “We are, we were and we will remain cooperative in all space activities.” Her country’s pursuit of space activities in the last five decades has been driven by a vision of utilizing space technology for the benefit of humanity. Highlighting the activities of the Indian Space Research Organization, she said it is currently working with 60 ministries and departments to promote space technology tools and applications. She outlined many recent space achievements and said her Government envisions “India being one of the most impactful space Powers”. It has approved two significant space science missions: the Venus Orbiter Mission to study different facets of Venus, and the Chandrayaan-4 mission to collect lunar samples and bring them back to Earth.
Emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation, the representative of Egypt discussed his country’s role in formulating the first African space strategy and in establishing the African Space Agency in New Cairo. Through its national space agency, Egypt hosts training programmes for African countries, covering areas such as small satellite technology. Outer space remains “a common heritage for humankind”, with the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space being the only forum with a clear mandate to manage space activities comprehensively. “The sustainable use of outer space should place a special emphasis on capacity-building activities to bridge the huge divide between developed and developing countries,” he asserted, adding that Egypt has launched new satellites and trains future generations to participate in space technology development.
The representative of Senegal, noting the recent launch by his country of its first nanosatellite, called for inclusive access to space, adding that the realm’s benefits should be shared equitably among all nations, particularly developing States. He called for the dissemination of space science and technology and their application in the areas of communications, satellite navigation, medicine, education and environmental protection — fields that significantly contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. On space sustainability, he underscored the importance of adopting “stricter regulations” to limit the long-term environmental impact of space activities.
In that vein, Brazil’s delegate said her country’s space policy emphasizes international cooperation and aims to ensure that space technologies are accessible, particularly for developing countries. “We advocate for a free data policy to improve access to satellite data and support educational programmes,” she said, highlighting the open-source applications developed by the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research, which are used for various purposes, from monitoring deforestation to disaster warnings. “As we look to the future, we must remain vigilant,” she stressed, calling on the international community to work collectively to keep outer space free from conflict.
Elaborating on the issue of space militarization, Japan’s delegate said: “Outer space must remain a domain free from nuclear weapons.” He reiterated the importance of compliance by all States parties with the Outer Space Treaty, including not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear or any other weapons of mass destruction. Addressing space debris is an urgent and collective endeavour, he said, adding that his country is keen to contribute to international cooperation towards rule-making for debris mitigation and remediation. As a leading space-faring nation, Japan is collaborating with international partners by participating in the International Space Station. Highlighting the Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” as an example, he said it provides emerging space nations with opportunities for small satellite deployment.
Echoing such points, China’s delegate said, “no matter how space activities innovate, and whether they are carried out by governmental or non-governmental entities”, the Outer Space Treaty should be uniformly and universally applied. It is also necessary to avoid the fragmentation of outer space rules, she asserted, underscoring the need to strengthen the role of the Outer Space Committee as the main platform for global governance on this topic. Space exploration should respond to the common interests of the international community rather than the interests of individual countries, she said, adding that China has been sharing with other countries “the fruits of peaceful use of outer space”. More than 10 countries and 14 international research institutes have already participated in her country’s international lunar research station project.
The representative of the Russian Federation voiced concern about “deviations” of some States from the provisions of the Outer Space Treaty, by using space as an “operational environment” or “an arena for armed confrontation”. Pointing out the use of civilian outer space infrastructure for geopolitical and military purposes, he warned that such actions pose “grievous risks” to the sustainability of space activities and threaten the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, he categorically opposed any attempts to artificially transfer space-related issues from the purview of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space to non-specialized forums.
This year’s impactful work of the Outer Space Committee, said the United States’ speaker, was a “true testament” to its continued relevance and significance, especially in light of the growing number of space actors and activities. He underscored the importance of the Committee for adapting to this evolving space environment to maintain its effectiveness both within the UN and the international community. Therefore, he urged Member States to implement processes to ensure that the Committee is well equipped to address future challenges. He also voiced support for closer collaboration between the Committee and other international bodies to avoid duplicative efforts.
Likewise, Switzerland’s delegate commended this year’s dynamic work of the Outer Space Committee, including the establishment of an action team for lunar activities to preserve relevant resources and the founding of a study group on space traffic coordination and legal and technical aspects of active debris removal. She said the Committee must respond efficiently to emerging challenges with Action 56 of the Pact for the Future guiding this work. In this regard, she stressed the importance of regular dialogue between the UN’s First and Fourth Committees on the safety and viability of space activities, as a contribution to ensuring “consistency, complementarity and coordination” between the different parts of the UN with regard to space issues.
In the afternoon, during a joint panel discussion of the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) and Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) on possible challenges to space security and sustainability, panellists highlighted the need for a balanced, inclusive approach to space governance and for the development of legally binding frameworks to prevent the weaponization of space.
Sherif Sedky (Egypt), Chair of the Outer Space Committee, highlighted the remarkable increase of objects launched into outer space, which heightens the risk of conjunctions or collisions between satellites and space debris, particularly in low Earth orbit. A discussion on space traffic management should strike a balance between the benefits of increased use of the orbital environment and the risk of such conjunctions. Noting that he represents a developing space-faring nation, he underscored the importance of universal and equitable access to outer space for all countries.
Rafiq Akram (Morocco), an incoming Chair of the Outer Space Committee, said that given the dual-use nature of space technologies, there are areas of space activities such as space traffic management and active debris removal that would merit deliberations by disarmament forums. To this end, today’s joint panel represents an important platform for identifying such areas while respecting the mandates of the Outer Space Committee and those of disarmament bodies. Therefore, he proposed to conduct regular exchanges of information and views between the disarmament bodies and the Committee.
Bassem Hassan (Egypt), Chair of the Group of Governmental Experts on Further Practical Measures for the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space, noted the failure of previous attempts to build consensus on this matter. However, the consensus adoption of his Group’s report (document A/79/364), which contains “a fairly comprehensive and balanced set of the possible elements of a legally binding instrument” offers a glimmer of hope. It underscores various fundamental commonalities and highlights the varying State views. Any diplomatic process on this topic must address the concerns of all parties equally without discrimination or selectivity. “We do not lack the technical or legal expertise to move forward” on this, he said adding that what obstructs progress is the lack of political will.
Usman Jadoon (Pakistan), Chair of the United Nations Disarmament Commission, underscored the dual challenge of safeguarding space infrastructure and maintaining peace amid a rising array of threats. With space conflict’s potential to ripple across domains, affecting nations with and without space assets, he urged international negotiations to prevent escalation. In this regard, he detailed the Disarmament Commission’s recommendations to implement confidence-building measures in outer space activities. He added that a legal gap in preventing weaponization of outer space should be plugged through a legally binding instrument. Noting that a “holistic and an inclusive approach is our best chance to prevent an arms race”, he said that inclusivity is vital in enabling emerging nations to benefit from a peaceful outer space.
Manuel Metz, Former Chair of the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee, noting that the Committee is not an UN-mandated entity, said it has a working relationship with the Outer Space Committee. In the 1980s, scientists recognized the need to address the question of space debris and leftovers of space activities. The Committee was established in October 1993 to address this, when four space agencies came together to sign the first terms of reference. Later, more agencies joined them. The primary purpose is to exchange information on space debris research activities and identify debris mitigation options, he said.
Ana Avila (Costa Rica), contributor to the Pact for the Future process on space matters, called for the inclusion of non-State stakeholders, such as academia and the private sector, in discussions, urging representation of diverse viewpoints, including geographical, generational and gender diversity. Emphasizing the value of engaging the private sector to understand the implications of space governance on commercial practices, she noted that the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs and the Office for Disarmament Affairs could play a role in this regard. These stakeholders have traditionally contributed technical expertise, which enriches multilateral discussions, especially benefiting countries new to space issues, she said.
In the ensuing discussion, delegates stressed the need for transparency and coordination in space activities. While several speakers underscored the need for a legally binding instrument to prevent an arms race in space, others stressed the value of complying with existing obligations, including those of the Outer Space Treaty. Delegates also highlighted the increasing number of space actors, including commercial ones, and called for the development of standards for responsible behaviour to ensure that outer space is safe, stable and sustainable.
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