PLEDGES ANNOUNCED FOR UN DISARMAMENT INFORMATION PROGRAMME

Press Release
DC/2536
GA/8977

PLEDGES ANNOUNCED FOR UN DISARMAMENT INFORMATION PROGRAMME

Fourteen countries pledged $279,755 this morning for disarmament trust funds at the thirteenth United Nations Pledging Conference for the United Nations Disarmament Information Programme, while three additional countries indicated their intention to pledge at a later date. The pledging campaign will remain open until 31 March 1996 for additional contributions.

Of the total, $162,550 was pledged to the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research; $41,232 to the trust fund of the Disarmament Information Programme; and $75,972 to the trust fund for the United Nations Regional Centres for Peace and Disarmament. The Regional Centre for Africa was pledged $12,333; the Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean $11,833; and the Centre for Asia and the Pacific $51,806.

In an opening statement to the pledging Conference, the President of the Conference, Bernard Goonetileukke (Sri Lanka) said it was paradoxical that as the Organization celebrated its fiftieth anniversary it was passing through one of the severest financial crises in its history and its ability to meet its commitments was at risk. Equally paradoxical was the fact that, despite an unparalleled transformation in the technology of the dissemination in the developed world, there were still parts of the globe in which people lacked access to even basic information. A further paradox was that although there was widespread agreement that regional approaches to disarmament were important, there had been a steady fall each year in voluntary contributions to the three United Nations Regional Centres for Peace and Disarmament in Lima, Lome and Kathmandu.

Since the launching of the United Nations Disarmament Information Programme in 1982, he continued, the Centre for Disarmament Affairs had carried out a full programme of informative, educational and balanced publications, as well as regional seminars and workshops on subjects of direct concern to regional players. It continued to educate members of the "new generation of disarmament diplomats", and continued to collaborate with the United Nations Department of Public Information and with the Non-Governmental Organization Committee on Disarmament.

Disarmament Pledging Conference - 2 - Press Release DC/2536 1st Meeting (AM) GA/8977 27 October 1995

The thirteenth Pledging Conference was taking place so that the world could demonstrate once again its support for the United Nations Disarmament Information Programme. While contributions to the voluntary trust fund went a long way to assisting the Programme maintain its objectives, those contributions represented the financial backbone for the three regional Centres, he concluded.

The United Nations Disarmament Information Programme was launched as the World Disarmament Campaign in June 1982 by the General Assembly's second special session devoted to disarmament, with the intention of promoting global information and education on issues of arms limitation, disarmament and international security. The Programme focuses primarily on elected representatives, research institutes, educational communities, non- governmental organizations and the media.

Programme activities are carried out through regional activities, information and educational activities, and special events. Those include: the holding of regional conferences and seminars; the preparation and dissemination of publications on issues relating to disarmament and security; and direct interaction with elected representatives, research institutes, educational communities, non-governmental organizations and the media.

The Programme is funded primarily by voluntary contributions from Member States and, in some cases, from non-governmental organizations and private individuals.

The contributions announced at today's pledging conference are as follows:

Member State UNDIP Regional Centres UNIDIR Total

Australia 7,519 7,519 15,038 Austria 10,000 10,000 Finland 11,710 35,129 46,838 Republic of Korea 5,000 15,000 15,000.00 35,000 Mexico 2,500 2,500 5,000 Mongolia 1,000 1,000 New Zealand 3,268 6,536 4,902 14,706 Norway 5,300 15,000 100,000 120,300 Pakistan 4,936 4,936 9,873 Panama 1,000 1,000 Sri Lanka 3,000 3,000 South Africa 4,000 4,000 Sweden 10,000 10,000 Thailand 1,000 3,000 4,000

TOTAL: $41,233 $75,972 $162,550 $279,755

*Spain, Italy and Japan indicated their intention to pledge at a later date.

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