SWF Provides Expertise at United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

SWF Space Law Advisor Chris Johnson served as an expert speaker at the preparatory meeting for the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) called for by the UN General Assembly in Resolution 72/250 to ‘consider and make recommendations on substantial elements of an international legally binding instrument on the prevention of an arms race in outer space’.

Mr. Johnson spoke to the Group of Experts on the status of norms applicable to international security and the prevention of an arms race in outer space. He presented the deeper rationale for international security measures between states, elements of treaties (rights, obligations, prohibitions, and definitions), concepts such as the lack of clarity and lacunae (gaps) in international law, along with substantive provisions in existing international law regulating the security of the outer space environment, including existing non-armament prohibitions such as Article IV of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty.