A/RES/77/41 GA

United Nations A/RES/77/41 General Assembly Distr.: General 12 December 2022 22-28136 (E) 151222 *2228136* Seventy-seventh session Agenda item 97 Prevention of an arms race in outer space Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 7 December 2022 [on the report of the First Committee (A/77/383, para. 16)] 77/41. Destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 62/217 of 22 December 2007, 68/50 of 5 December 2013, 74/82 of 13 December 2019 and 76/22 of 6 December 2021, Reaffirming the applicability of international law, including international humanitarian law and the Charter of the United Nations, to activities in outer space, Reaffirming also the right of all States to explore and use outer space without discrimination of any kind, on a basis of equality and in accordance with international law, Emphasizing the importance of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies,1 recalling the recognition by State parties to the Treaty of the common interest of all mankind in the progress of the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, and recalling further that, pursuant to its article IX, States parties to the Treaty shall conduct all their activities in outer space with due regard for the corresponding interests of all other States parties, Bearing in mind the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly, adopted by consensus at the first special session devoted to disarmament,2 Seriously concerned about the possibility of an arms race in outer space, and reaffirming that the prevention of an arms race in outer space is in the interest of maintaining international peace and security, Emphasizing the need to maintain outer space as a peaceful, safe, stable, secure and sustainable environment for the benefit of all, and promoting and strengthening __________________ 1 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 610, No. 8843. 2 Resolution S-10/2. A/RES/77/41 Destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing 22-28136 2/3 international cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours, 3 submitted pursuant to resolution 75/36, and his recommendations that Member States study the ideas contained therein, Recalling that, in the report of the Secretary-General, many States expressed concern about space debris as the most significant threat to the space environment, which identified the intentional destruction of satellites using kinetic force as exacerbating such threats, Welcoming the work under way at the open-ended working group on reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours established pursuant to its resolution 76/231, Welcoming the work in 2018 and 2022 at the Conference on Disarmament under subsidiary body 3, on the prevention of an arms race in outer space, which was undertaken to advance the substantive work of the Conference, Recognizing that negotiations for the conclusion of an international agreement or agreements to prevent an arms race in outer space remain a priority task of the Conference on Disarmament and that the concrete proposals on confidence-building measures could form an integral part of such agreements, Welcoming the ongoing work by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space on the implementation of the Guidelines for the Long-term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities4 and the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines,5 Reaffirming that the equal, full and effective participation of both women and men is one of the essential factors for the promotion and attainment of sustainable peace and security, Determined that practical measures should be taken to prevent an arms race in outer space, Concerned by the impact of destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missiles on the long-term sustainability of the outer space environment, Recognizing that the use of other types of anti-satellite systems might have a similar negative impact on the long-term sustainability of the outer space environment, Concerned that the use of destructive anti-satellite systems might have widespread and irreversible impacts on the outer space environment, Determined to advance norms of responsible behaviour for outer space activities, 1. Calls upon all States to commit not to conduct destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile tests; 2. Considers such a commitment to be an urgent, initial measure aimed at preventing damage to the outer space environment, while also contributing to the development of further measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space; __________________ 3 A/76/77. 4 Official Records of the General Assembly, Seventy-fourth Session, Supplement No. 20 (A/74/20), annex II. 5 Ibid., Sixty-second Session, Supplement No. 20 (A/62/20), paras. 117 and 118, and annex. Destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile testing A/RES/77/41 3/3 22-28136 3. Calls upon all States to continue discussions in the relevant bodies and to establish and develop further practical steps that could be taken, in order to enable risk reduction, prevent conflict from occurring in outer space and prevent an arms race in outer space; such steps could include, inter alia, transparency and confidence- building measures and additional moratoriums, which could contribute to legally binding instruments on the prevention of an arms race in outer space in all its aspects. 46th plenary meeting 7 December 2022

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