Space Technology Applications:
Preparing the Asia - Pacific Region for the Twenty-first Century

United Nations Economic and Social Commission
for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)

Mr. President, excellent representatives, ladies and gentlemen,

it is a great honour to United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific to address here to the plenary of UNISPACE III. As some delegations have mentioned, with the generous host of the government of India, ESCAP is organizing the 2nd Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific at New Delhi in mid November this year. We are very pleased that this conference will be the first regional event after the successful convening of UNISPACE III, to translate the recommendations at UNISPACE III in global level to a regional arena.

Asia-Pacific is the most rapidly growing economic region in the world, but much of this region is also burdened with overpopulation and illiteracy, dismal agricultural productivity, poor infrastructure facilities, continued depletion of natural resources, environmental degradation, and recurring natural disasters. Space technology has been playing an important role in Asia and the Pacific, addressing the resolution of these problems facing the region since late 1970s. In the past two decades, the progress in space technology and its various applications has been very significant and impressive, making the Asia-Pacific region one of the more dynamic areas in the field of space technology and development. It is this dynamism that motivated the launching of the Regional Space Applications Program for Sustainable Development (RESAP) during the first Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Development in Asia and the Pacific in September 1994.

The mandate of RESAP can be briefly stated: to promote and coordinate regional space cooperation for development, as well as to organize and implement space application projects of regional interest; to provide policies, models, techniques, information and analysis, and to conduct studies related to various issues on space applications; to establish regional networks comprising national focal points and working groups in major space technology application fields; and to promote national capacity building for space applications. Under the auspices of RESAP, numerous activities were initiated that contributed to raising the status of the region in using space technology for supporting sustainable development goals.

Space activities in Asia and the Pacific have advanced into a stage where the region can lay claim to several of the world's largest and most vigorous space programs, including those of China, India and Japan. A number of emerging players such as Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea and Thailand have established smaller, but nonetheless significant space programs. Bangladesh, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Mongolia also expressed their interest to be involved in space science and technology-related activities. Several other countries are implementing space-application-related activities that are aimed at supporting their growth and sustainable development efforts.

In so far as space applications are concerned, there are at least 11 remote sensing satellite ground stations and systems for operational acquisition of environmental as well as meteorological data are established in over 30 countries. Reports also indicate that there are some 30 national remote sensing programs or centers, with more than 20,000 remote sensing specialists working on over 2,000 natural resource and environmental management projects. At least nine ESCAP member countries have been engaged in multilateral multi-mission satellite project. In recent years, over 10,000 GIS installations have been established in both public and private sectors and more are being targeted for the coming years. In 1998, the region had access to more than 80 communication satellites, which provided over 1,700 transponders for telecommunication and television broadcasting, The erratic economic situation affecting several countries of the region notwithstanding, reports indicate that more than US$ 5.5 million has been provided for the implementation of RESAP, inclusive of in-kind contributions from participating countries, amounting to at least US$ 2.1 million. While, the financial crisis may have affected overall national programs, there are indications, however, that national space programs and related activities have not been shelved nor abandoned but are still being pursued, albeit with some financial and schedule modifications.

Promotion of regional space cooperation through a network mechanism

Mr. President,

Several strategies have been adopted by ESCAP to ensure that the institutional and organizational requirements of the RESAP are met. The activities commissioned under RESAP encompass complementary actions at. both regional and national levels, ranging from policy initiatives and institutional mechanisms to space development and applications. Among those actions, the promotion and coordination of regional space cooperation for development as well as national capacity-building are considered to be of paramount importance. By far, one of the outstanding achievements of RESAP in its efforts to assist countries of the region has been the establishment of a three-tiered network to promote the development and application of space technology. The network consists of the following: (a) the Intergovernmental Consultative Committee (ICC); (b) the four regional working groups (RWGs); and (c) the Regional Information Service and Education and Training Network.

The regional networking strategy has been strengthened with the reconstitution of the ICC, composed of national focal points from member countries. The ICC meets annually to advise the ESCAP secretariat on matters related to the implementation of RESAP, including recommendations on the medium-term work plans of the regional program.

The four working groups organized within the framework of ICC are (a) Regional Working Group on Satellite Communication Applications, (b) Regional Working Group on Meteorological Satellite Applications and Natural Hazards Monitoring, (c) Regional Working Group on Remote Sensing, GIS and Satellite-based Positioning, and (d) Regional Working Group on Space Sciences and Technology Applications. All working groups meet annually with representation from the national contact points.

It is interesting to note that a significant number of countries, including developing countries, have sent their national contact points or representatives, at their own cost to participate in the meetings of the working groups. The member countries increasingly realize the importance of the regional working groups in providing a unique opportunity to participate in regional cooperative projects on a technical cooperation among developing countries (TCDC) basis.

As information exchange concerned, an expanded and strengthened Regional Information Service and Education Network has institutionalized the sharing of information among countries of the region. The various activities and projects of ESCAP being implemented within the framework of RESAP generate a voluminous amount of information that are found to be essential in formulating regional and national policies and programs in space technology applications. Therefore, in order to provide a medium for information exchange, the ESCAP Space Technology Applications Section (STAS) comes out with two regular publications, namely the Space Technology Applications Newsletter, and the Asian Pacific Remote Sensing and GIS Journal. These are in addition to the proceedings and related publications for various seminars, workshops and symposia which STAS regularly conducts.

Hard-copy publications are supplemented with information through the electronic media. News and information on national and regional projects as well as other RESAP activities are included and regularly updated in the RESAP Web site and respective Web sites of the four working groups.

National capacity-building through human resource development

Through RESAP, ESCAP also actively supports national programs directed toward national capacity-building and human resource development. Its long-standing partnership with UNDP has contributed immensely to the establishment and sustainability of various national remote sensing programs, particularly in the developing member countries of the region. In close collaboration with donor agencies and member countries, ESCAP also organizes and conducts various workshops, seminars, short-term courses and long-term fellowships. Since the first Ministerial Conference, ESCAP has provided more than 100 medium- and long-term fellowships at several institutions of learning in the region. Furthermore, 19 seminars and workshops have been conducted, which were attended by more than 900 participants from 48 member and associate member countries.

Among other institutions in the region, RESAP has established partnerships with Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping of China, Center for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific, in India, Gadjah Mada University in Indonesia and the Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan. Several workshops have been conducted with support from the National Space Development Agency of Japan, the European Space Agency, and the French Space Agency (CNES).

National capacity-building through pilot projects

One of the means to build national capacity in integrated applications of various space technologies for sustainable development is the implementation of pilot projects that demonstrate the use of these technologies to address various environmental and socioeconomic issues. This is achieved through institutional development (such as acquisition of hardware and software), through provision of training for principal investigators and members of the study team, and the building of experience which comes in the course of implementing the pilot projects. Under RESAP, ESCAP has implemented 10 pilot projects involving 48 members and associate members. All projects emphasized an application-pull, rather than a technolgy-push, approach. Policy makers, planners and users benefited from the conduct of these pilot projects by being able to develop suitable methodologies for the integration of technology with development objectives.

Studies

A study on the harmonization of various initiatives for promoting regional cooperation in space technology applications for sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific was conducted in 1997 with the objective of providing a framework that will lead to the establishment of an equitable, mutually beneficial, voluntary participatory and self-sustaining regional cooperation mechanism to further promote space technology applications for sustainable development in the region. This study eventually led to the establishment of the Dialogue Forum, which is intended to promote dialogue among the countries of the region participating in major space initiatives to explore common cooperative projects, and to evolve consideration of the concept of a regional space cooperation mechanism through consultation and dialogue. ESCAP organized the first meeting of the Dialogue Forum at Ulaanbaatar, in June 1998, back to back with the fifth meeting of Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum. Thus, ESCAP sees its linkages with the regional initiatives as very crucial in providing forums and avenues for greater discussions and interaction among countries in the region involved in various space activities and programs.

A study conducted under RESAP in 1995 resulted with the publication entitled GIS Standards and Standardization: 4 Handbook. The handbook clarifies the meaning of GIS standards, describes different existing and emerging standards, and covers approaches and methods of developing and implementing standards as well as related institutional, hardware/software and human resources considerations.

A study on small satellite applications and opportunities in this region concludes that low-cost space projects have been rapidly growing in capability and are now within reach of an increasing number of ESCAP members. The study proposes enhanced regional cooperation to share experiences and payload opportunities on small satellite projects. An excellent example of such collaboration has been provided by the Republic of Korea and other ESCAP countries of Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Mr. President,

With the successful implementation of RESAP, ESCAP now recognizes the need to further prepare the region for expanded and effective practical uses of space technologies for the next millennium.

The great challenge that faces ESCAP is to further propel the region to charter its course towards harnessing space technology and its applications for the greater benefit of member countries in the coming years. There is reason to believe that the ESCAP region can rise to the challenge. To meet this challenge, now is the opportune moment to explore other strategies to forge stronger partnerships and regional cooperation which aim for a more cohesive and widely coordinated regional cooperative mechanism for space activities and technology applications. While institutional arrangement will be on a long-term basis and in a gradual and step-wise fashion, the region has the potential to initiate small-scale regional initiatives or projects relating to space technology applications that will be able to lay the foundation necessary for more cost-effective joint space activities in the region. Application projects of common interest to several countries may be initiated through bilateral or sub-regional arrangements, sometimes on TCDC basis. The other assets of the region can also be more effectively utilized for regional 'development. The existing technological foundation of some countries in the region such as in micro- and small-satellite technology may be harnessed in the development of common payloads for specific scientific or applications projects. Manpower and expertise, space technology infrastructure and facilities may likewise be tapped towards sustained and greater pooling of resources for space technology development and applications.

In this regard, the Second Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific, to be convened at New Delhi on 15-20 November 1.999, will be vital for the Asia-Pacific region in its continued efforts to enhance regional cooperation in space technology and development. It may be recalled that the first Ministerial Conference on Space Applications held at Beijing in 1994 paved the way for promoting space science and technology development and applications in the ESCAP region through the launch of the Regional Space Applications Program for Sustainable Development (RESAP). This time, not only will the second Ministerial Conference build upon the successes attained through RESAP but will also try to derive benefits from lessons offered by experiences and pitfalls of the past. Imbued with a fresh vision, the Ministerial Conference is aimed at helping the region develop a program and an implementation strategy suitable for the regional conditions that will allow the countries to benefit from space development in the coming years. In addition, the second Ministerial Conference will provide a unique forum for policy planners and decision makers to exchange perspectives and information, lay the groundwork to develop policy scenarios, map out a blueprint for regional space development, and decide upon a result driven, action oriented regional program under a second phase of implementation of RESAP.

In the occasion of the convening of UNISPACE III, ESCAP will, through the implementation of RESAP, keep closer linkage and strengthening collaborations with other United Nations agencies, international organizations, none governmental organizations, as well as those countries outside but interested in Asia-Pacific region, in this ever vigorous field of space applications. The ever enlarging applications of space technology will make Asia-Pacific region more prepared for the twenty-first century.

Thank you, Mr. President.