November 20, 1999
UN Space Conference Concludes
FUNDS, EXPERTISE URGENTLY NEEDED FOR ACHIEVING SPACE TECHNOLOGY APPLICATION BENEFITS

United Nations Information Services (UNIS), New Delhi, Nov. 20th, 1999 The region's major challenge to feed and employ its increasing population without endangering the ecological environment can be met by space applications but deficient and intermittent financial support as well as the lack of trained personnel and resources may hamper efforts to use this advanced technology for all mankind's benefit.

This was one of the major conclusions made by Ministers attending the Second Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific. Ministers endorsed today a Strategy and Action Plan on Space Technology Applications (2000-2005) and issued a Ministerial Declaration on Space Technology Applications for Improved Quality of Life in the New Millennium.

Ministers also declared the launching of the second phase of the UN Economic and Social Commission's (UN/ESCAP) Regional Space Applications Programme (RESAP) for Sustainable Development and urged that it be focused on an action-oriented, result-driven programme for optimizing human and financial resources. The conference was organized by the UN/ESCAP and hosted by the Government of India.

The vulnerability of the region to natural hazards such as floods, drought, cyclones, landslides, volcanic eruption cannot be overemphasized especially with the increased concentration of human settlements in marginal lands and disaster-prone areas, the Action Plan states. Space technology would thus have very useful applications in these vital areas.

The major areas RESAP will focus on include food security, capacity building, human resource development and education, poverty alleviation, weather forecasting, natural disaster reduction, healthcare and hygiene and sustainable development planning towards improving the quality of life.

Significant progress had been made through close co-operation between countries of the region, the Conference participants noted. However urgent issues need continuous attention in the following areas. Human resources development; involvement of the private sector and academia, strengthening of institutional frameworks and improvement of national co-ordination mechanisms; the establishment of an appropriate regional co-operative mechanism and further raising of awareness of policy-makers of the many beneficial uses of space technology applications.

Participants also discussed issues related to satellite data archive, their access and utilization and related data policy and commercialization aspects. These issues, they said, need to be addressed in a concerted manner. They recommended that data generated on a timely and immediate basis from the multitude of satellites in space should be made easily accessible and available free of charge to all countries as they faced a pending natural disaster.

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had earlier noted when he opened the Ministerial segment on Thursday that disaster management is an area that is "crying out" for regional and global co-operation. "We must use our satellite networks in the best possible way so that every country in the region has the most comprehensive early warning available to it, irrespective of whether it has its own satellites or not". He offered to share India's expertise in space technology.

To remedy some of these problems, the Action Plan urges an integrated approach to the use of space technologies and stresses a multi-purpose natural resource database using commonly agreed standards and classifications including digital base maps.

A harmonization of regional initiatives to ensure a full realization of space development in the region would help overcome the high cost barrier preventing many smaller economies from participating in space projects, the Action Plan noted.

More universities, the Action Plan said, should offer courses related to space technology such as satellite-based geographic positionings, communications, meteorology and remote sensing and environment monitoring through remote sensing. A close partnership between Governments and the private sector for affordable and user-friendly services to the community at large was also recommended.

"We have scientific tools to detect cyclones and a reasonable level of capability to predict paths. Science is not yet progressed to pin point the precise area of disaster in advance nor to dissipate the fury of the cyclone. But even with existing knowledge, if a holistic action of integrating scientific tools, local administration and self-help through education can be done, the human dimension of calamities can be reduced," said Indian Minister for Human Resource Development and Science & technology Murli Manahar Joshi.

"We are very pleased to note that ESCAP's work in this area has been acknowledged. Now we have a lot of work to be accomplished. The major challenge is to ensure equitable access to space technology development and applications," said Mr.Adrianus Mooy, Executive Secretary of the Bangkok-based UN/ESCAP.
 
DELHI DECLARATION ON SPACE TECHNOLOGY APPICATIONS IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC FOR IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM
We, the members and associate members of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, convening at the second Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific, held in New Delhi from 15 to 20 November 1999,

Recalling that the first Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Development in Asia and the Pacific, held in Beijing in 1994, was an important milestone in the promotion of space science and technology development and applications in the Asian and Pacific region,

Acknowledging that the launching of the Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development at the first Ministerial Conference and its implementation have had a significant impact on national capacity-building, enhancing regional capabilities and raising the status of the Asian and Pacific region to be one of the fast growing areas for space technology development and applications,

Guided by the decisions, recommendations and resolutions adopted by various United Nationals and other forums on the applications and use of space technology for the benefit of humanity, and in particular:

  • Resolution 51/11 of 1 May 1995 on the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific on regional cooperation on space application for environment and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific, which endorsed the Beijing Declaration on Space Technology Applications for Environmentally Sound and Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific and the recommendations of the first Ministerial Conference,
  • General Assembly resolution 51/123 of 13 December 1996 on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, which emphasized the need to increase the benefits of space technology and its applications and the contribute to an orderly growth of space activities favourable to sustained economic growth and sustainable development,
  • The recommendation of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Development at its first session, held in Bangkok in October 1998, to continue efforts in, inter alia, the promotion of the development of remote sensing, spatial information systems and other space technology applications for environmental monitoring, natural resources development and natural disaster reduction,
  • The recommendation of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific at its fifty-fifth session, held in Bangkok in April 1999, to continue with the activities being implemented under the Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development with a view to making its implementation more effective in order to assist developing countries in gaining full benefits from space applications through national capacity-building, technical assistance, information exchange and promotional activities under technical cooperation among developing countries arrangements,
  • The recommendations of the Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III), held at Vienna in July 1999, bringing the impact of this important global event into the regional context and helping the region to benefit from space technology applications in the new millennium,
 
Noting that rapid technological developments are leading to the integrated use of space and information technologies to form Earth observation, spatial information and decision support systems that will become indispensable tools for practical applications in high priority areas,
Noting also that satellite communications and broadcasting systems, together with fibre optics provide multimedia technologies and other services, and are contributing to improved human connectivity, human resource development and poverty alleviation through applications such as distance education, rural health care and emergency relief,
Recognizing that space science research and technologies for satellite Earth observation, satellite-based positioning and navigation, and satellite communications are advancing rapidly and that new areas of technology applications keep emerging,
Taking cognizance of the fusion of space technologies and the over-growing role of information technology and others, not only in the development of space technologies but also in the extension of their applications,
Realizing that the growing interest in regionalization and the tremendous opportunities for economies of scale in space activities generate a greater need for a genuine regional partnership arrangement among interested entities in space technology development missions and integrated operational space applications services,
Hereby affirm that we:
  1. Stress the essential role of space technology and applications to environmental and natural resource management; food security; capacity-building; human resource development and education; poverty alleviation; weather forecasting; natural disaster reduction; health care and hygiene; and sustainable development planning;
  2. Agree that it is essential to use practical and feasible means for the effective implementation of technology research and development programmes, including the mechanism for enhancing academic exchange and human resource development;
  3. Agree that there is an urgent need to examine and institutionalize regional cooperative mechanisms appropriate for accelerating collaboration in the field of space technology to achieve a more equitable benefit for the countries of the region;
  4. Share the vision for the twenty-first century aimed at regional cooperation as envisaged in "Space vision 21: the future of space technology development and applications in Asia and the Pacific", which addresses the potential for space technology applications in dealing with many of the problems facing the Asia and Pacific region, in order to improve the quality of life;
  5. Adopt the overall strategy and endorse the action plan of the Strategy and Action Plan on Space Technology Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific for the New Millennium for extending regional cooperation in space applications for sustainable development designed to enhance further the accomplishments achieved through the first phase of the Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development;
  6. Declare the launching of the second phase of the Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development, which focuses on an action-oriented, result-driven programme for optimizing human and financial resources in the region through vigorous cooperation in the areas of environmental and natural resource management; food security; capacity-building; human resource development and education; poverty alleviation; weather forecasting; natural disaster reduction; health care and hygiene; and sustainable development planning towards improving the quality of life;
  7. Urge bilateral and multilateral donors and international organizations to support the implementation of the second phase of the Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development;
  8. Commit ourselves to participate actively in the second phase of the Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development;
  9. Request the Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific to convene a third Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific to review the progress on the second phase of the Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development and the development efforts under the Strategy and Action Plan endorsed by the present Conference, at an appropriate time in the future to be determined by emerging conditions in the region.