View from the Sides: COPUOS Legal Subcommittee Meeting 2024

​​The Legal Subcommittee (LSC) of the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) held its 63rd Session from 15th - 26th April, 2024. Join us as we reflect on the deliberations and outcome of the LSC meeting. Our guest is Ms. Nomfuneko Majaja.

​Ms Majaja has been serving as a Chief Director in South Africa's Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), where she has being responsible for the development and implementation of Space Legislation and Policy domain for the past 17 years. She led the development and approval of National Space for South Africa and the Space Industry Development Framework. She was instrumental in the review of the South Africa's primary space legislation and development of the South African Space industry Regulatory Bill.

​Since 2018, Ms Majaja serves as on the Board of the South African National Space Agency (SANSA). She also served as the dtic representative and the Vice Chairperson, during the past 3 terms, of the South African Council for Space Affairs (SACSA), which is a space regulatory body under the Minister of Trade and Industry.

​Ms Majaja has being leading the South African delegation to UNCOPUOS for a number of years. She is the immediate past Chair of the UNCOPUOS Legal Subcommittee. for 2022-2023.

​She has a Bachelor degree in Economics & Industrial Psychology, an Honours from the University of South Africa (UNISA) and a Master’s degree in Development Economics from Williams College in Massachusetts in USA. She has also attended various short courses in the space arena from International Space University, University of Cape Town and University of Pretoria.

​Ms Majaja has passion for capacity building of the youth, in this regard, has supported various academic programmes that involve students. For the past 7 years, she has being the coordinator of the Africa Region of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition.