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States that become party to the Code would establish and implement
national “policies and procedures to minimise the possibility of
accidents in space, collisions between space objects or any form of
harmful interference with other States' right to the peaceful
exploration and use of outer space.”
States are also obliged to provide “information on national space
policies and strategies, including basic objectives for security and
defence related activities.”
States engaged “in consultations shall seek solutions based on an
equitable balance of interests”.
African Concerns
Some of the provisions of the (EU CoC) do not address or take into account
the space science programmes of developing countries, especially African
ones.
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The Purpose, Scope and General Principles of (EU CoC) need
further modification in order to address clearly rights of African
countries to develop space programmes without any intervention.
If the ICoC is accepted as it is, without inclusion of the role and
rights of African space programmes, the current initiatives for
African Space Science and Technology will be crippled.
The Code is also seen as limiting operations and not weapons, which
raises an objection in terms of the objectives of the Code: the (EU
CoC) seems to be drafted to protect the interests of the West.
Even though the EU-Code is not legally binding, many developing
countries are concerned that ICoC will be part of a Cold War
between the EU and U.S., and Russia and China.
Africa believes that ICoC should be initiated from Africa for
Africans,
Africans are concerned that the EU CoC will discourage the current
development of space science and technology in Africa.
ICoC: African Perspectives | www.orfonline.org 181