Topic:
Country: Jordan
Delegate Name: Natalie Gibbs
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, or simply Jordan, is eager to collaborate with other nations to address the critical issue of the militarization of outer space. Jordan may not currently have a space program, but this issue remains very important to this delegation. As a nation firmly committed to international cooperation, Jordan understands the detailed problems with militarizing outer space that must be addressed. Outer space is both a vast, mysterious place to explore and a valuable resource to control. The precedents set by the Outer Space Treaty of 1966 (hereby referred to as OST) are over 50 years old, and must be re-evaluated to ensure that they are still to the benefit of all nations.
Jordan values international stability over all else, and will support its allies, specifically the United States and the United Kingdom, in reaching a peaceful resolution regarding the militarization of space. The responsible use of space by all nations is paramount, so Jordan would heavily lean toward a resolution that prevented the use of military in space. However, military personnel may be needed to ensure that outer space remains peacefully split between all nations. Jordan might support a resolution recommending the use of weapons and military personnel for non-peaceful purposes in space when necessary, primarily military under the control of the United Nations, to prevent the escalation of international conflicts. As long as the resolution reached by this committee is both peaceful and equal in its treatment of all nations, Jordan will likely support it.
As previously mentioned, one solution Jordan might support would be the introduction of a military unit under the jurisdiction of the United Nations into outer space. This unit could ensure the peaceful cooperation of all spacefaring nations and maintain the even split of resources in space. While this solution seems ideal for many nations, it would be in violation of OST, which bans military activities on celestial bodies, so an exception might have to be made. The solution should also involve the clarification and furthering of OST’s rules around weapons that didn’t exist even as theories at the time OST was agreed upon, such as kinetic bombardment. Answering whether the use and development of experimental technologies will be permitted in space by this committee is key, as is designating exactly what makes a piece of technology a weapon.
The delegation of Jordan is both prepared and eager to work in collaboration with other nations to further international law on militarization in outer space.
