Conference in Lisbon to Discuss Space Governance and International Cooperation

The Portuguese Space Agency and the Institute of Social and Political Sciences of the University of Lisbon (ISCSP-ULisboa) are organising an International Conference on Space Policy and Diplomacy on 26 March. The conference, which will take place at the Óscar Soares Barata Auditorium on the Alto da Ajuda University Campus, is open to the public and will bring together a range of national and international experts.

In a time of increasing space activity and growing dependence on space infrastructures, from security and communications to navigation and Earth observation, the conference seeks to discuss how international norms, regulatory approaches, and cooperation mechanisms can keep up with both technological and commercial developments. The goal is to ensure safety, sustainability, and fair access to space activities without hindering innovation.

Organised within the framework of the cooperation agreement signed a year ago between the Portuguese Space Agency and ISCSP-ULisboa, which also resulted in the establishment of the ISCSP Centre for Space Policy and Diplomacy, the conference forms part of the programme of the second edition of the UN-Portugal Outer Space Fellowship, taking place in Lisbon from 23 to 27 March. The fellowship is an international capacity-building initiative promoted by Portugal in partnership with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).

The 2026 edition of the UN-Portugal Outer Space Fellowship will bring together over twenty technical and diplomatic officials from developing countries, from 23 to 27 March, to support the definition and implementation of national space strategies and to strengthen institutional capacities in the utilisation of space technologies for sustainable development.

The agenda of the International Conference on Space Policy and Diplomacy features an address by Aarti Holla-Maini, Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), followed by two complementary sessions focused on global and European space governance frameworks. The latter will be preceded by a presentation from the European think tank ESPI – the European Space Policy Institute – to set the scene for discussion. The programme also includes a poster session and will conclude with a panel on the role of diplomacy in fostering trust in multilateral initiatives within the space sector.

The conference, which is open to the public, will feature national and international experts, including representatives from the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA and the European Commission, among others.