South Africa to align with Russia’s initiative to prevent arms race in space — official

MOSCOW, April 12. /TASS/. South Africa is ready to align with Russia’s initiative to develop a legally binding tool to prevent an arms race in space, Humbulani Mudau, CEO of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), said. "Our position has always been clear: space is a common heritage; it’s for all and outer space should be used for public good. In South Africa, our space program is for the peaceful use of outer space, and therefore, we would align with such an initiative," he told TASS on the sidelines of the first Russian Space Forum. According to him, platforms such as the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space are crucial for ensuring the peaceful use of space and respect for agreements involving space powers. Earlier, Dmitry Bakanov, head of Russia’s Roscosmos State Space Corporation, called for developing a legal document to prevent an arms race in space and make it possible for all countries to use outer space for peaceful purposes. The Russian Space Forum took place in Moscow as part of the 2026 Space Week, dedicated to the 65th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s space flight. TASS is an information partner of the 2026 Space Week.