An Israeli representative has been elected to the bureau of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), after a vote in the UN General Assembly Fourth Committee.
Israel’s adversaries led efforts to thwart the representative’s election despite the fact that she had been selected as their candidate by the Western European and Others (WEOG) regional group.
After a vote was called, Canada, the United States and others led efforts to ensure a fair and unbiased process in the Committee. Together with Israeli diplomatic efforts, this ensured that Israel succeeded in securing the necessary votes and the motion passed. In addition to Israel, Brazil, Mexico, Poland, South Africa and Indonesia were also elected to the COPUOS bureau.
Keren Shahar, the Director of the Treaties Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will serve as Israel’s representative on the bureau.
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon welcomed the results of the election. “We have proven once again that Israel can succeed in all roles as we spearhead positive new initiatives as an equal partner in the UN,” Danon said. “We will continue to stand strong against attempts to harm Israel in the international arena.”
COPUOS is charged by the UN with governing the exploration and use of space for the benefit of all humanity, reviewing international cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space, encouraging space research, and studying legal problems arising from the exploration of outer space. Israel joined the 84-member organization in 2015.