Space is an emerging domain which has global implications. Recently, during the 27th annual Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agencies Forum (APRSAF), the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies facilitated a webinar to better understanding on “Norms in Space: Exploring Asia-Pacific Perspectives.” 

The event, held on November 23, 2020 via Zoom, was attended by more than 55 participants from 14 locations including: Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and the United States. It was also livestreamed on Facebook. 

According to DKI APCSS academic lead, Dr. Al Oehlers:  "Space is vital to modern economies and national security.  As awareness of this grows, an increasing number of nations are coalescing around United Nations efforts to develop recommendations on norms precluding irresponsible behaviors threatening the safety, security, stability and sustainability of this crucial commons.   

“DKI APCSS is proud to have played a role supporting these discussions,” he added.  “The Center looks forward to facilitating further conversations sustaining momentum behind these key elements in space governance." 

The webinar addressed the significance of cooperative strategies and policies in the emerging space domain and preferred cooperative architectures among allies, partners, and like-minded nations in advancing the evolution of space norms and governance. Participants discussed the strategic competition aspects of the space domain as well as cooperative opportunities of space norm and governance development. They also called out malign behavior by space actors threatening the future safety, stability, security, and sustainability of space. 

The Center looks forward to working alongside APRSAF in facilitating further discussions relating to space norms and governance, in conjunction with a broad range of U.S. and international partners.  

You can watch the full event video online at: https://youtu.be/PZCRV0XTWj8