The United Arab Emirates approach towards international space law: Divergence or convergence?

In recent years, new space actors have entered the field of space activities with great enthusiasm. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of these newcomers investing in this domain with a broad prospect based on a specific strategy and policy. Accordingly, in 2019, the UAE developed a legal framework to govern diverse space activities in line with its strategy and policy. This Law covers many challenging and complex items that have long been on the agenda of the Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. This article aims to investigate the UAE National Space Law to bring to light the extent to which they are moving in line with the existing principles of international space law. Firstly, the Law, among other national legislation, will be assessed to determine whether it reshapes or reflects the existing international space law. Secondly, the key provisions of the Law will be highlighted and analyzed. The final part will discuss the correlation of this Law with the concept of NewSpace. In conclusion, the author will highlight the importance of multilateralism and collective decision-making processes in developing international space law principles. © 2023 IAA