STATEMENT BY COLONEL LIM TONG HAI, MILITARY ADVISOR AND COUNSELLOR, TO THE 72nd SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 52 ON THE OUTER SPACE, FOURTH COMMITTEE, 13 OCTOBER 2017

Mr Chairman,

1.                 My delegation congratulates you and your bureau on your appointments. We also commend the good work of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and you can count on Singapore's constructive support in the Fourth Committee.

2.                 Singapore aligns itself with the statement delivered by the distinguished representative of Indonesia on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

3.                 The growing reliance on space for key essential services is undisputable. From telecommunications, weather monitoring, and global positioning, space applications have become an indispensable part of our daily life. The space race of the Cold War may be long over, but the utilisation of space for peaceful purposes has grown exponentially.

4.                 Today, there are more than 6,000 satellites in orbit; some go around the Earth 15 times a day, each requires only 100-minutes to make one complete orbit. The rapid advancements in technology have also led to the miniaturisation of satellites. Miniaturised satellites, each weighing only10kg with a size similar to a bar fridge, can be launched in a fleet of tens or even hundreds at any one-time. Our immediate exosphere is being populated rapidly.

5.                 In view of this, it is the common interest of the international community to address increasing challenges of orbital congestion and space debris. Pragmatic measures are necessary to ensure responsible behaviour and security in space. In this regard, Singapore would like to raise three points which we hope would contribute to this thematic discussion.

6.                 First, outer space should remain a peaceful global commons and we should work together to preserve this. Many sectors are increasingly reliant on the technologically-advanced applications in space. In UN Peacekeeping, space applications could enhance the safety and security of UN personnel and civilians, improve situation awareness, and monitor the Missions' environmental footprint. Singapore, therefore, supports the UN in working towards an open and inclusive international framework to ensure the long-term sustainability of outer space utilisation. The UN and its member states should ensure transparency and inclusivity in the formulation of such framework through the proper intergovernmental process.

7.                 Second, there is a need for all of us to build consensus on international norms on space. The integration of space technology into our daily lives requires new modern disciplines and a better understanding of these technologies and its impact. Most of the existing treaties were drafted in the 1960-80s. They need to keep pace with the advancements in space technology, be updated for relevance and, where necessary, we should work to establish new ones.

8.                 Singapore is party to the three UN treaties on outer space; namely the Outer Space Treaty, Rescue Agreement and Liability Convention. We welcome the on-going work in the UN to strengthen international cooperation, including the work of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on the "Transparency and Confidence Building Measures" (TCBMs) in Outer Space Activities." We hope that they will help to advance on-going UN discussions on the multilateral code of conduct. Singapore is committed to working with others on this endeavour.

Mr. Chairman,

9.                 The UN COPUOS is a useful platform for building international norms through its work in the technical and legal working groups. Singapore welcomes the inclusive approach at the COPUOS working groups where observers are able to participate in the consultations. At the General Assembly, Singapore supports the Joint Panel Discussion of the First and Fourth Committees on 12 October 2017, given considerable overlaps between the works of these committees on outer space challenges. We heard shared views echoing the hazards of space debris, and the need for guidelines to ensure sustainability of outerspace activities. There was strong synergy at the event and we should continue to work towards a common agreed framework and norms.

Mr Chairman,

10.            Third, small states can play a part to promote peaceful uses in outer space. Technological advancements have led to lower research and operational costs that incrementally allow nascent players into the space domain. Singapore is one such good example. The Singapore's Office for Space Technology and Industry (OSTIn) was only established in February 2013 to promote new high-tech Space development, through OSTIn's collaboration with local universities and global engineering industries. By December 2015, Singapore successfully launched four satellites from India to support disaster management across the Southeast Asia.

11.            As a nascent player, Singapore is also committed towards regional and multilateral efforts to enhance international cooperation on the peaceful space use. We partnered countries like China, Japan and India in cutting-edge and innovationintensive development on urban planning and space-enabled services. We have also actively participated in regional and international space fora, such as the 2015 ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Workshop on Space Security in Beijing.

Mr. Chairman,

12.            Let me conclude by reaffirming Singapore’s strong support for the ongoing international effort to make outer space a peaceful domain. My delegation stands ready to work with fellow Member States to preserve the peace and security of the outer space.

Thank you.

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