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Every society and formal state depends more and more on space activities and related services. Each day space is becoming increasingly present in daily life, regardless of public or private business. Each year, the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolutions on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, has reaffirmed the importance of international cooperation in developing the rule of law, including relevant norms of space law and has urged States that have not yet become parties to the treaties governing the use of outer space to give consideration to ratifying or acceding to them, as well as incorporating them into their national legislation. The need for the ratification and effective implementation of the five United Nations Treaties on Outer Space as well as the elaboration of national space laws and policies has become a priority for the increasing number of States participating in space activities
The Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III) called for action to promote the development of space law to meet the needs of the international community. The Conference emphasized the importance of the United Nations treaties on outer space and invited States that had not yet done so to ratify or accede to the treaties.
The Action Plan of the United Nations Strategy for an Era of Application of International Law called on every office, department, programme, fund and agency of the United Nations, to promote the application of international law, and to provide technical assistance to help Governments implement their commitments under the treaties to which they are or might wish to become parties.
While the need for effective laws and policies on space activities, not just on an international level but also on the national level, is becoming clear to the increasing number of States now actively involved in the field of space, the successful operation of space law, policies and institutions in a country relies on the presence of suitable professionals. Therefore, educational opportunities and institutions that address the subject of space law and policy are also important.
In order to assist the ratification of the five United Nations Treaties on Outer Space and to assist States to build their capacity in space law, the United Nations, together with the Government of Brazil, is organizing a workshop on space law, to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 22 to 25 November 2004 for the benefit of countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region. The workshop, which will be the third United Nations Workshop on space law, will provide a means for understanding, accepting and implementing the United Nations treaties and principles on outer space, allow for an exchange of information on domestic space laws, policies and institutions, for the benefit of professionals involved in the development and implementation of those policies and will consider education in space law.
Objectives and expected results
The objectives of the Workshop are to develop expertise and capability in national and international space law with an emphasis on matters of specific interest to the Latin America and Caribbean region. An important element of the workshop will be to increase international co-operation.
Preliminary Programme of the Workshop
The Workshop, which will consist of presentations and discussion periods, will consider the following:
A detailed draft programme will be made available on the Web sites of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs at http://www.oosa.unvienna.org and the Associa��o Brasileira de Direito Aeron�utico e Espacial (SBDA) at http://www.sbda.org.br/.
Sponsorship of the Workshop
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and the Associa��o Brasileira de Direito Aeron�utico e Espacial (SBDA) are responsible for co-organizing and promoting the Workshop. The Government of Brazil is hosting the Workshop, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Qualifications for participation and selection of participants
Participants come from and be familiar with:
Participants will be selected jointly by the sponsors of the Workshop from applications submitted to the United Nations.
Language of the Workshop
Applicants must have a good knowledge of English, which will be the working language of the Workshop.
Sponsorship of participants from the Latin America and Caribbean Region
The co-sponsors have a limited amount of financial resources available to sponsor travel and living costs of selected participants from developing countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Applications from interested female participants from Latin America and Caribbean region are encouraged.
&Deadline for submission of applications
The completed Application Form (endorsed by the applicant's agency/organization) should be submitted through the Office of the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme in the applicant's country, to the:
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
Vienna International Centre
P.O. Box 500
no later than 3 September 2004 and a copy thereof directly to the Office for Outer Space Affairs by telefax to +43-1-26060-5830.
For more information on the Workshop please refer to the homepage of the Office for Outer Space Affairs at http://www.oosa.unvienna.org or the Associa��o Brasileira de Direito Aeron�utico e Espacial (SBDA) at http://www.sbda.org.br/.