The 2006 conference "Building the Architecture for Sustainable Space Security" is the latest in a series of annual conferences held since 2002 by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research in cooperation with a wide range of Member States, research institutes and NGOs. This series of conferences has drawn on a high level of interest on the part of diplomats in Geneva, both within and outside of the Conference on Disarmament, as well as civil society and the research community.
Participants at the conference discussed the current threats posed to the peaceful uses of outer space, both from the impact of technological developments and of political/military decisions. They compared those threats with the potential for developing a rules-based approach for ensuring space security, such as a code of conduct, space asset security and debris mitigation. The conference also considered the role of international instruments in enhancing space security, whether through the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space or the Outer Space Treaty. The discussions also touched upon the possible development of confidence-building measures in outer space through various means and the implications of such measures on a future ban on space weapons. The conference concluded with a debate about the role of public awareness and advocacy in influencing governmental policy and decision makers.
Citation: United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (2006). "Building the Architecture for Sustainable Space Security", UNIDIR, Geneva.