SWF Statement – UN COPUOS, Agenda Item 4: General Exchange of Views on Space Sustainability and Governance (June 2019)

Secure World Foundation (SWF) reiterates its commitment to promoting the secure, sustainable, and peaceful uses of outer space. Delivered at the 62nd session of COPUOS, this statement highlights:

• Support for LTS Guidelines Implementation: SWF praises the consensus on the 21 LTS guidelines and emphasizes the importance of capacity building and outreach, offering its support to Member States in these efforts.
• Activities Highlight:
  • In 2018, SWF executed 120+ activities in 20+ countries.
  • Continued work with the Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group on legal models for space resources.
  • Co-hosted a regional workshop with SANSA in South Africa on the Socioeconomic Benefits of Space Resource Utilization, targeting emerging space nations.
• Private Sector Engagement:
  • Highlighted the acceleration of private sector space activity.
  • Promoted norms of responsible behavior through its role in CONFERS, which grew to 28 international industry members and developed its first guiding principles.
• Space Security Engagement:
  • Participated in UNIDIR’s Space Security Conference in Geneva, addressing diplomacy and multilateral disarmament dialogues.
• Summit Announcement:
  • Announced SWF’s first Summit for Space Sustainability (Washington, DC, June 25–26, 2019), focusing on space governance, security, and commercialization.
• Space2030 Agenda:
  • Expressed support for the Space2030 agenda, aligning with the UN’s sustainable development goals.

The statement concludes by reaffirming SWF’s role in working with COPUOS and other stakeholders to ensure a peaceful, inclusive space environment.