The United Nations General Assembly on December 12, 2019 voted in favor of five draft resolutions addressing weaponization of outer space, arms control, disarmament, and international security for “transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities,” according to a United Nations statement.

The Assembly considered three critical draft resolutions addressed in the UN’s “Prevention of an arms race in outer space” report.

No first placement of weapons in outer space

The Assembly adopted this resolution, reaffirming that “practical measures should be examined and taken in the search for agreements to prevent an arms race in outer space.” The Assembly also urged “an early start of substantive work in the Conference on Disarmament on the topic,” based on an updated draft treaty introduced by China and the Russian Federation in 2008 and featured on www.peaceinspace.com. It also encouraged all States, especially spacefaring nations, to consider the possibility of upholding, as appropriate, a political commitment not to be the first to place weapons in outer space.

Prevention of an arms race in outer space

This resolution was adopted by a recorded vote of 183 in favor to 2 against (Israel, United States), with no abstentions. “The Assembly reaffirmed the importance and urgency of preventing an arms race in outer space and the readiness of all States to contribute to that objective. It also called upon all States — particularly those with major space capabilities — to contribute actively to the objective of the peaceful use of outer space and invited the Conference on Disarmament to establish a working group on the topic as early as possible.”

Further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space

This resolution, which was approved, was intended to “welcome the work in 2018‑2019 of the Group of Governmental Experts on further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space, which is tasked with considering and making recommendations on substantial elements of a related international legally binding instrument.”