UNIS/OS/595
24 May 2024

UN Office for Outer Space Affairs and Japan collaborate to support new space law missions to Philippines and Thailand

VIENNA, 24 May (United Nations Information Service) — The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Government of Japan have agreed to embark on a new stage of collaboration under the "Space Law for New Space Actors" project. This successful and fruitful collaboration was established in 2021 and enables UNOOSA to continuously provide capacity-building and legal advisory services tailored to the specific needs of countries in Asia and the Pacific.

The contribution from Japan will enable UNOOSA to deliver Space Law Technical Advisory Missions to the Philippines and Thailand. The missions will assess their needs in international space law, taking into account their specific judicial, administrative, and technical requirements. The primary objectives are to establish a cross-government focal point networks to organize international expertise and provide peer-to-peer networking opportunities, in-person training, and joint promotion of the project as it is implemented.

The Space Law for New Space Actors is a unique project that offers UN Member States tailor-made capacity-building to draft, revise and implement national space legislation and/or national space policies in line with international space law to achieve the long-term sustainability and safe exploration of outer space. The project also raises awareness of and promotes adherence to the existing normative framework governing outer space activities, in particular, the five international space law treaties developed and concluded by the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). 

The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (Outer Space Treaty) serves as the foundation of international space law. Since the Outer Space Treaty, UN Member States have agreed and adopted a growing list of treaties, principles, guidelines and resolutions, that collectively constitute the normative framework defining responsible activities in outer space. This normative framework has been instrumental in delivering the safe and sustainable space environment that has enabled over half a century of exponential growth in space activities and the global space economy.

UNOOSA Director Aarti Holla-Maini said: "Over 80 Member States are now operating national space programmes. As more countries start to explore the opportunities space activities offer, it's essential for our Office to provide support to enhance adherence to the existing regulatory framework governing outer space activities. The global governance of outer space has been negotiated over the last 65 years by COPUOS, now our attention must turn to implementation. Our partnership with the Government of Japan is invaluable in meeting this demand, particularly given the increasing number of space activities in the Asia-Pacific region.”

The Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations in Vienna, Kaifu Atsushi, said: “It is our great pleasure to cooperate with UNOOSA on this important project since 2021. It is also our honour to be able to support Asia-Pacific countries in drafting national space legislation and policy as well as raising awareness of the existing normative framework. Through this cooperation, we look forward to contributing to the further advancement of the rule of law in outer space.”

* *** *

For more information, please contact:

Space Law for New Space Actors Project Team
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
Email: unoosa-spacelaw[at]un.org