June 2024 – UN COPUOS: Agenda Item 14 – Future Role and Method of Work of the Committee

Secure World Foundation offers strategic recommendations for enhancing the efficiency, agility, and relevance of COPUOS as it continues to grow in membership and observer participation. The statement encourages reflection on how to modernize procedural elements to better handle today’s expanding space policy landscape.

Key Themes and Recommendations:

• COPUOS Membership Growth
  With 102 Member States and a growing number of observers, the Committee has become the central UN forum for space governance. This increasing size brings both strength and complexity.
• Time Constraints and Efficiency
  The current format—2 weeks each for the Subcommittees and only 1.5 weeks for the full Committee—limits the ability to address a broad and growing agenda.
  SWF calls for more efficient, results-oriented contributions, especially given financial constraints facing the UN system.
• Proposals for Process Improvements
  SWF encourages Member States to consider:
  • Streamlining report finalization
  • Enhancing the role of permanent observers
  • Creating structured engagement mechanisms with the private sector, while maintaining COPUOS's status as a state-centric forum
  • Supporting intersessional work, including virtual and asynchronous engagement when appropriate.
• Reaffirming Support for Peaceful Use of Space
  The Foundation concludes with a statement of support for the continued peaceful and cooperative use of outer space, facilitated through improved Committee operations.