Reducing Space Threats Through Norms, Rules and Principles of Responsible Behaviours

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 97dReducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours, published in 2023.

What other versions does this mandate have?

4 versions · 2020–2024

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/79/22

2024A/RES/79/22Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behavioursLatestCompare with previous version
2023A/RES/78/20Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behavioursCompare with previous version
2021A/RES/76/231Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behavioursCompare with previous version
2020A/RES/75/36Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours

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

International Security Space Exploration Space Objects Working Groups

What does this mandate say?

15 operative paragraphs

Reaffirms that all States must conduct their activities in the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, in conformity with international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, urges Member States to ensure that their space policies comply with their obligations, and encourages those States that have not yet become parties to the international treaties governing the exploration and use of outer space to give consideration to ratifying or acceding to them in accordance with their national law;

Welcomes the deliberations held in 2022 and 2023 by the open-ended working group on reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours established by the General Assembly in its resolution 76/231, which, together with the working papers and presentations submitted to the Assembly, constitute an important contribution to outer space security and the prevention of an arms race in outer space;

Expresses its appreciation to the participants of the open-ended working group for their constructive contribution to its work;

Decides to convene, in Geneva, a new open-ended working group, building on the work of the 2022–2023 open-ended working group and other relevant bodies, including the Group of Government Experts established in its resolution 77/250, and the existing international legal framework, including principles of international law, to further elaborate the concept, and to make recommendations on the prevention of an arms race in outer space through the development of norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours, including, but not exclusively, in the following areas:

Intentional damage to and destruction of space systems;

Threats to the safe operation of space objects;

Rendezvous operations and proximity operations that could increase the risk of misunderstanding and miscalculation;

Protecting critical space-based services to civilians as well as services that support humanitarian operations;

Other activities and measures that could reduce the risk of unintended escalation and conflict;

and to consider how the implementation of norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours could be monitored and verified, including through the provision of capacity-building, cooperation on space situational awareness and the possible establishment of a mechanism for inter-State coordination and consultation on matters pertaining to space security, and how they would contribute to the negotiation of legally binding instruments, including on the prevention of an arms race in outer space;

Also decides that the open-ended working group shall submit its report to the General Assembly at its eighty-first session, and that it shall adopt its final conclusions and recommendations by consensus;

Further decides that the open-ended working group shall hold a two-day organizational session and two substantive sessions of five days each in 2025, and two substantive sessions of five days each in 2026, and that the Chair may also hold intersessional consultative meetings with interested parties to exchange views on the issues within the mandate of the open-ended working group;

Reaffirms that intergovernmental organizations and other entities having received a standing invitation to participate as observers in the work of the General Assembly and representatives of non-governmental organizations that are in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, in accordance with Council resolution 1996/31 of 25 July 1996, may participate, including by speaking and submitting documents, in the formal and informal meetings of the open-ended working group as observers;

Requests the Chair of the open-ended working group to draw up a list of representatives of other relevant non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions and the private sector who may participate, including by speaking and submitting documents, in the open-ended working group, taking into account the principles of transparency and equitable geographical representation, with due regard for gender parity, to submit the proposed list to Member States for their consideration on a non-objection basis and to bring the list to the attention of the open-ended working group for a final decision by the open-ended working group on participation;

Requests the Secretary-General to provide all necessary assistance to the open-ended working group and its Chair and to transmit its report to the Conference on Disarmament and the Disarmament Commission;

Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-ninth session, under the item entitled “Prevention of an arms race in outer space”, the sub-item entitled “Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours”.

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