New York, 7 May 2026
I would like to thank UNOOSA and UNIDO for organizing this side event and the Permanent Missions of Austria and Zambia that co-sponsored it.
It is a privilege for Italy to take the floor at this important event and I would like to thank the organizers, in particular UNOOSA, UNIDO and all partners involved, for convening a discussion that captures a central truth of our time: space technologies are no longer distant or abstract capabilities. They are practical tools for sustainable development, economic transformation and human security.
Italy is honoured to chair the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space for the biennium 2026–2027 starting this June. We approach this responsibility with a strong sense of duty, openness and ambition. Duty, because COPUOS stands as the main multilateral forum for promoting the peaceful uses of outer space. Openness, because no country can address today’s space challenges alone. Ambition, because space solutions can and must contribute more directly to the lives of our citizens and to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Earth observation satellites help governments monitor land use, urban expansion, pollution and water stress. Precision agriculture and digital farming can optimize water use, fertilizers and crop yields. Navigation systems improve transport efficiency, logistics and emergency response. Telecommunications satellites bridge connectivity gaps, including in remote and underserved areas. Together, these assets form an essential layer of modern development. These are not future possibilities. They are present-day solutions.
Today’s initiative recognizes that space is not only a scientific domain; it is also an economic ecosystem that can stimulate innovation, entrepreneurship and industrial diversification. For many developing countries, participation in the space economy does not begin with launch capability. It begins with data services, downstream applications, university research, start-ups and skilled human capital. This is why the promotion of capacity-building will be the first driver of Italy’s Presidency. Access to space benefits must become more inclusive. During our mandate, Italy will support international cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes and for the benefit of all humanity. Too many countries still face barriers in infrastructure, technical expertise, institutional readiness and financing. We believe COPUOS and UNOOSA can play an even stronger role in supporting training partnerships, technical assistance and knowledge-sharing platforms, especially for developing countries and emerging space nations.
At the same time, innovation must be matched by governance. Sustainable industry and resilient countries depend on a safe, secure and sustainable outer space environment. We therefore intend to reaffirm the importance of the Outer Space Treaty as the cornerstone of the international legal framework governing space activities. Responsible behavior, debris mitigation, space traffic coordination and broad international cooperation are indispensable if future generations are to continue benefiting from space services. International law remains the essential foundation for predictability, stability and trust among States. In an increasingly congested and contested space environment, common rules and shared principles are not a constraint on progress; they are a precondition for sustainable progress. A widely shared legal framework is indispensable to ensure that space remains accessible, peaceful and beneficial for all humanity.
A third priority of Italy’s Presidency will be to further strengthen the universality of COPUOS itself. At a time when multilateralism is under pressure and international cooperation is too often challenged by fragmentation and geopolitical tensions, we believe the answer is not less dialogue, but more; not narrower forums, but more representative and inclusive ones. We therefore intend to encourage a broader membership of the Committee and to promote the widest possible participation of all Member States in its work. A more universal COPUOS will be a stronger COPUOS: more representative and better equipped to respond to the needs of both established and emerging space actors.
Looking ahead, Italy considers the proposed UNISPACE IV Conference in 2027 a rare, high-level moment for shaping the future of global space governance and an opportunity we cannot miss to renew global political commitment to peaceful cooperation in space and to connect space governance more closely with sustainable development priorities. In this regard, Italy is pursuing all efforts to ensure a successful and result oriented UNISPACE IV in 2027. We thank the host Country, Austria, for its generous financial contribution and we rely on the full engagement of the membership to achieve this goal.
Excellencies,
From orbit to impact is more than the title of this event. It is a call to action. Italy stands ready, as incoming chair of COPUOS, to work with all Member States and stakeholders to ensure that the benefits of space reach every region, every economy and every community.
Thank you
