Significant steps forward are being made on a range of international security issues that impact civil, military and commercial users of space.

Secure World Foundation proudly co-sponsored in June two major gatherings of global authorities, brought together to discuss a variety of key issues for the global utilization of space, from steps toward space traffic control, crafting a Code of Conduct for spacefaring nations to helping curb the development of space debris-producing anti-satellite weaponry.

Secure World Foundation (SWF) was a co-sponsor of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR's) Space Security 2009: Moving Toward a Safer Space Environment, held June 15-16 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

"SWF was pleased to participate actively in this important conference and to assist in clarifying the crucial decisions the world faces in tackling the complex issues of limiting weapons in space," explained Dr. Ray Williamson, SWF's Executive Director.

"Compared to 2008, I encountered an entirely new and hopeful sense of optimism among the delegates of the Conference on Disarmament now that they have finally agreed on a program of work," Williamson said.

"The UNIDIR conference was a significant contribution to thinking on space security," added SWF's Legal and Policy Advisor, Ben Baseley-Walker. The event provided a forum that discussed space security issues in a new light, he added, deliberations that are relevant to the work of the Geneva disarmament community with emphasis on cross cutting issues that affect all space players: civil, military and commercial.

Global Space Affairs
A second international workshop was titled Assessing the Current Dynamics of Space Security. SWF co-sponsored this workshop with the French Institute of International Relations - Institut fran�ais des relations internationales or Ifri, held June 18-19 in Paris, France.

Ifri is France's leading independent international relations center dedicated to policy-oriented research and analysis of global political affairs.

Experts met at the Paris workshop to assess current trends in international discussions on space security, including active discussion of the European Union's Code of Conduct on Outer Space Activities, as well as discussion of implementing space traffic control measures and the kinetic anti-satellite test ban.

The gathering included representatives from France, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Russia, Germany, Colombia, India, the UK, as well as the United States, with sessions moderated by the Head of the Space Policy Program at Ifri, Laurence Nardon, SWF's Ray Williamson and SWF's Space Policy Consultant Agnieszka Lukaszczyk.

"The workshop was quite a success, not only due to its participants, but especially due to a dynamic and open minded discussion," explained Lukaszczyk.

"Space security issues tend to be sensitive and during regular conferences participants often have no liberty to openly share their thoughts. However, during this particular meeting, true brainstorming occurred which should produce a high quality report," she added.