Further Practical Measures for the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space

A/RES/77/250No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 97cFurther practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space, published in 2023.

What other versions does this mandate have?

5 versions · 2018–2025

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/80/21

2025A/RES/80/21Further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer spaceLatestCompare with previous version
2023A/RES/77/250Further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer spaceCompare with previous version
2021A/RES/76/230Further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer spaceCompare with previous version
2019A/RES/74/34Further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer spaceCompare with previous version
2018A/RES/72/250Further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What subjects does this mandate have?

4 topics

Arms Race Disarmament Agreements Groups of Experts Outer Space

What does this mandate say?

15 operative paragraphs

Proclaims it a historic responsibility of all States to ensure that the exploration of outer space is carried out exclusively for peaceful purposes for the benefit of mankind;

Declares that the exclusion of outer space from the sphere of the arms race and the preservation of outer space for peaceful purposes should become a mandatory norm of State policy and a generally recognized international obligation;

Calls upon all States, and above all those with major space capabilities, to this end:

To take urgent measures to prevent for all time the placement of weapons in outer space and the threat or use of force in outer space, from space against Earth and from Earth against objects in outer space;

To seek through negotiations the early elaboration of appropriate reliably verifiable legally binding multilateral agreements;

Expresses its deep regret over the years of stalemate in the work of the Conference on Disarmament, and looks forward to the Conference again fulfilling its mandate as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum;

Urges the Conference on Disarmament to agree on and implement at its earliest opportunity a balanced and comprehensive programme of work that includes the immediate commencement of negotiations on an international legally binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space, including on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space and of the threat or use of force in outer space, from space against Earth and from Earth against objects in outer space;

Acknowledges that the guaranteed prevention of an arms race in outer space will provide an opportunity for the peaceful exploration of outer space and its use in solving acute major problems relating to economic, social and cultural development facing mankind today, as well as in consolidating the efforts of States of the world in this domain;

Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly pursuant to its resolution 76/230, and his recommendation that Member States study the ideas contained in the report and consider how they can be taken forward within relevant United Nations forums;

Requests the Secretary-General to establish a United Nations Group of Governmental Experts, with a membership of up to 25 Member States, chosen on the basis of fair and equitable geographical representation, to consider and make recommendations on substantial elements of an international legally binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space, including, inter alia, on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space;

Decides that the newly established Group of Governmental Experts will operate by consensus, without prejudice to national positions in future negotiations, and hold two 2-week sessions in Geneva, one in 2023 and the other in 2024;

Requests the Chair of the Group of Governmental Experts to organize, in New York, a two-day open-ended intersessional informal consultative meeting, in 2024, so that all Member States can engage in interactive discussions and share their views on the basis of a report on the work of the Group to be provided by the Chair in his own capacity;

Requests the Secretary-General to transmit the report of the Group of Governmental Experts to the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session and to the Conference on Disarmament prior to its 2025 session;

Decides that, if the Conference on Disarmament agrees upon and implements a balanced and comprehensive programme of work that includes the negotiation of an international legally binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space, including, inter alia, on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space, the newly established Group of Governmental Experts will conclude its work and submit the results thereof to the Secretary-General for onward transmission to the Conference on Disarmament;

Also decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-eighth session, under the item entitled “Prevention of an arms race in outer space”, the sub-item entitled “Further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space”.

56th (resumed) plenary meeting

30 December 2022

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