Latest news with #UNCommitteeonthePeacefulUsesofOuterSpace
Scoop
02-07-2025
- Science
- Scoop
Space Is Not The Final Frontier – It Is The Foundation Of Our Future: UN Deputy Chief
2 July 2025 Addressing delegates at a UN forum on peaceful uses of outer space, Amina Mohammed urged greater international cooperation as the world becomes increasingly reliant on satellites for everything from disaster response to climate monitoring. ' Space is not the final frontier. It is the foundation of our present,' she said. 'Without satellites orbiting overhead right now, global food systems would collapse within weeks. Emergency responders would lose their lifelines. Climate scientists would be flying blind. And our hopes of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) would be out of reach,' she added. Expanding access to space For nearly seven decades, the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space – the forum's official name, has advanced international cooperation through five space treaties, sustainability guidelines and the Space 2030 Agenda. Ms. Mohammed highlighted the UN's efforts through the Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA), in helping make space more accessible – particularly for the more than half of UN Member States that still lack a satellite in orbit. OOSA's programmes are opening opportunities for youth and women in developing countries, cultivating a more inclusive new generation of space leaders. It also supports countries in building their space capabilities through technical workshops and assistance for emerging programmes, having assisted Kenya, Guatemala, Moldova and Mauritius in launching their first satellites. Similarly, it is helping countries like Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago and Ghana, use satellite data to create detailed digital models of entire cities, allowing faster disaster response and saving lives. Space and sustainable development Fresh from the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Sevilla, Spain, Ms. Mohammed stressed that the areas the UN defines as critical for sustainable development acceleration all depend on space technologies. She also relayed a critical message from the conference: 'In an era of constrained investment, we must align capital with high-impact solutions,' she said. 'Space is one of them.' ' The view from space shows no countries, no borders – only one shared planet, one common home. Let that perspective guide you as you build the governance frameworks for space exploration and use,' she concluded. '.'
Morocco World
26-06-2025
- Science
- Morocco World
Morocco Promotes Inclusive Space Development at UN Committee
At the 68th session of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) in Vienna, Morocco called for deeper international and regional cooperation to ensure space technologies benefit all nations, especially developing countries. Addressing delegates, Morocco's ambassador to the United Nations Office in Vienna, Azzeddine Farhane, stressed that collective action is the most effective way to harness the full potential of outer space. He argued that cooperation in space science, technology transfer , and capacity building is essential for bridging global gaps and advancing peaceful space use. Morocco reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening multilateral frameworks and voiced strong support for the upcoming UNISPACE IV conference, which it sees as a timely platform to address emerging challenges in the global space landscape. Farhane also pointed to Morocco's active role in regional cooperation, particularly through the African Space Agency and the African Space Council. He emphasized that partnerships across the continent are central to Morocco's national strategy, with numerous bilateral and international agreements already in place to support African nations in building space expertise. A key part of this effort is the African Regional Center for Space Science and Technology Education in French (CRASTE-LF), based in Rabat. Since 2000, the center has trained specialists from across Francophone Africa; in 2024 alone, it enrolled 89 students from 10 countries in its master's programs in space science and technology. Looking ahead, Morocco plans to expand its educational and training efforts by offering short courses and workshops on space law and policy through CRASTE-LF. It also aims to foster cross-continental partnerships through events like the June 27 side event, co-hosted with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), titled Celebrating African Space Development: Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Global Space Sector. Morocco's ambassador further emphasized the strategic importance of its national satellite program, including the Mohammed VI A and B satellites, launched in 2017, 2018. These advanced Earth observation satellites orbit the planet at around 700 kilometers above ground and capture high-resolution images that support everything from climate monitoring and agricultural planning to urban development, border surveillance, and disaster risk management. Their data is already being used by Moroccan ministries and public agencies to make more informed decisions—whether mapping water resources, tracking land use, or responding to natural hazards. The ambassador stressed that these satellites are not just technological achievements, but powerful tools that serve both public and private interests and drive sustainable growth at home and across the African continent.
