By John Louis B. Benito, LPT, MA
The article presents three political points in building an ASEAN Space Agency in the future: (1) building on existing ASEAN cooperation on Science and Technology and the Outer Space; (2) highlighting partnership, economic, and environmental benefits; as well as (3) separating security matters and not letting it to focus on high politics.
The outer space is beginning to shape as a new frontier in international affairs. States, particularly great powers, have already utilized the outer space for communications and sciences for decades and for security purposes in preparation for possible armed conflicts in the future. Through their space agencies and programs, these states are able to spearhead projects in the outer space that reflects their national interests. These however are not only exclusive to great powers and spacefaring nations but to other states that have economic, environment, and technological interests as well.
Some of these are ASEAN member-states. Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam have their space agencies and/or programs. With ASEAN being their common denominator, one may ponder on an institutionalized way to cooperate regionally in the outer space, like a creation of an ASEAN Space Agency. Such endeavor is not a wasteful use of the association since cooperating beyond the Earth’s atmosphere produces tangible benefits. For one thing, such cooperation already occurs in other regions and it presents good outcomes for member-states. One example would be the European Space Agency (ESA) in which European states are involved in its funding and projects such as the GALILEO navigation satellite system and the Copernicus project. It also partners with other space agencies on other parts of the world such as Japan, India, as well as the United States. In addition, the ESA exhibits that the benefits included technological and scientific advancements, contribution in security-related activities, as well as technical assistance in atmospheric disaster mitigation.
In general, having a space agency is pro-development and a tool for a participating state’s strategic interests. The benefits that cooperation and partnerships a space agency could provide may occur in ASEAN as well. But to recommend that ASEAN must have one without any regards to its nuances is misleading. Like any international organization, it must be considered that ASEAN has its own functions and processes dictated by its member-states. It’s principles of sovereignty, non-interference, and consensus are at its core among others. Therefore, it is important to ask: how can ASEAN build its own space agency? This article does not point each specific factor needed, but it advances three general political points: (1) building on existing ASEAN cooperation on Science and Technology and the Outer Space; (2) highlighting partnership, economic, and environmental benefits; as well as (3) separating security matters and not letting it to focus on high politics.
Pushing Outward
ASEAN is active in multilateral fora in regards to outer space. It rendered a statement adhering to existing norms in regards to the use of the outer space through an Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) session and in thematic discussions in the UN. Within the association, it has the ASEAN Committee on Science and Technology and Innovation (COSTI) to facilitate partnerships in science and technology in the region. One of its priorities would be on space technologies and application. It also has a sub-committee that can provide recommendations about outer space in the Sub-Committee on Space Technology and Applications (SCOSA). Moreover, through the ASEAN Regional Forum, three Track 1 workshops were conducted regarding space security in 2012, 2014 and 2015.
Overall, it could be inferred that there are a lot of mechanisms that could serve as a foundation for a possible ASEAN Space agency. Its functions could focus on building or accumulating hardware such as satellites as well as the promotion of its policies on civilians. However, in order for these mechanisms to render a function without negations from any member-states, two political points must be put into mind. First, the hypothetical ASEAN space agency must focus and recognize that entering into strategic partnerships with other space agencies as well as its direct economic and environmental purposes are beneficial. In the national space agencies of ASEAN member-states, notable partnerships particularly with those advanced spacefaring nations are ironed out. The said space agencies have also illustrated, particularly to their own citizens, its economic and environmental value. An example of this would be the use of satellites for disaster preparedness and harnessing of scientific data. With these at hand, as member-states have already considered these as acceptable practice, it would only make sense if these would be adopted for an ASEAN-wide space agency.
Lastly, like any ASEAN committee, instrument, or initiative, the space agency must avoid sensitive issues as well as those that are considered as security-related high politics. One example of this would be the territorial dispute in the South China Sea that involved the US and China, both states that have a considerable capacity and autonomy in their space agencies. Citing the ASEAN principles of consensus and non-interference, the space agency may harbor the tendency to be unproductive if such high politics would be considered in its functions. Each member-states have different stance on such issue which would lead to no output or agreement for the supposed space agency.
Reminder: The ASEAN Way
At the end, despite the loose reputation of ASEAN in terms of what it can produce compared to the likes of EU, a space agency is still possible to emerge. There is a possibility if it considers the ASEAN way. If the space agency will be built under the ASEAN principles and faithfully follows or aligns itself to those later on, it could render the benefits that any space agency can provide. Ideally, an ASEAN space agency could potentially utilize science as an objective guide for the development and interests of member-states even those that do not have their national space agencies. It is in this way that ASEAN can still find relevance in our contemporary world that slowly moves beyond the limits of the Earth.
About the Author
John Louis B. Benito, LPT, MA accomplished the Master of Arts in International Studies Major in European Studies Program at De La Salle University in Manila, Philippines, from 2021-2024. Currently, he is a part-time lecturer and the Service-Learning Coordinator under the Department of International Studies also at De La Salle University. His research interests, articles, and academic publications revolve around Europe, ASEAN, security, migration, development, and the outer space.
