U.S. Statement as Prepared for U.S. Representative Valda Vikmanis-Keller – Agenda Item 13 – Future Role and Method of Work in the Committee
Vienna, Austria, June 7, 2023
The international community’s interest in peaceful uses of outer space continues to increase, as evidenced by the steady growth of this committee over the past decade. As space becomes more accessible, more inclusive, and more critical to our lives in every country on earth, the work and membership of this committee has grown accordingly. This Committee now boasts 102 member states, welcoming our newest members joining last year, Guatemala and Uzbekistan. Each new member brings new perspectives that enrich the work of the committee and benefit us all. Indeed, this is a welcome development.
But with expanded membership and expanded agenda, the old format for meetings is no longer optimal. We must ensure our work is streamlined and efficient so that all voices can be heard and our work can be completed within the time allotted. Many updates have been made over the years and numerous suggestions were made during the subcommittees on additional updates.
My delegation would like to thank you, Chair, for your efforts already this meeting to reach consensus on decisions to merge agenda items in each of the subcommittee. Likewise, your non-paper provides additional suggested reforms to the agenda and procedures of this Committee and its subsidiary bodies that facilitate more constructive, effective, and efficient meetings. The United States supports all of the proposals in the Chair’s non-paper and welcomes a discussion on additional proposals from other delegations.
Thank you.