SECRETARY-GENERAL’S ADVISORY BOARD ON DISARMAMENT MATTERS

TO MEET IN GENEVA, 21- 23 JUNE

NEW YORK, 20 June (Department for Disarmament Affairs) -- The Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters will meet for a three-day closed session in Geneva, from 21 to 23 June.  The Board, which meets twice a year, held its last – forty-sixth session -- at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 8 to 10 February.

The Board advises the Secretary-General on matters within the areas of disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation, including on studies and research under the auspices of the United Nations or institutions within the United Nations system.

At its forty-seventh session, the Board will deliberate on two topics: (a) Building an international security system, the way ahead; and (b) Consolidation and further development of international norms on small arms and light weapons.  The Board will submit the outcome of its deliberations, including possible recommendations, to the Secretary-General.

The session will be chaired by Professor Joy Ogwu of Nigeria.  Currently, the Board has 19 members, appointed by the Secretary-General and serving in their personal capacities.  The Director of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), Patricia Lewis, will participate in the meeting as an ex officio member.

The Board serves as the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).  In that capacity, the Board will review the report of the Director of UNIDIR on the activities of the Institute for the period August 2005 to July 2006, and planned activities for 2007 and beyond.  The Director will also provide a report of the meeting of the UNIDIR Sub-Committee, which is due to take place in Geneva on 20 June.

Over the years, the Advisory Board has made practical recommendations to the Secretary-General on a number of important issues in the field of disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation.  Most recently, it has examined measures to prevent the proliferation of weapon systems to non-State actors; the nuclear fuel cycle and fissile material control; export controls; compliance, verification and enforcement of multilateral disarmament treaties; disarmament and development; and the prevention of weaponization of outer space, among others.

In 2004, the Advisory Board contributed to the work of the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change, in the form of a document containing in-depth analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of current disarmament and non-proliferation regimes and recommendations on how to meet those challenges.

Background

The Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters was established in 1978, pursuant to paragraph 124 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly, and received its current mandate pursuant to General Assembly decision 54/418 of 1 December 1999.  The Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters has the following functions: to advise the Secretary-General on matters within the area of arms limitation and disarmament, including on studies and research under the auspices of the United Nations or institutions within the United Nations system; to serve as the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR); and to advise the Secretary-General on the implementation of the United Nations Disarmament Information Programme.

Members of the Board are appointed by the Secretary-General on the basis of their expertise in the field of disarmament and/or the wider field of international security, taking into account the principle of equitable geographical representation.  The Director of UNIDIR participates as ex officio member of the Board.

The Chairman of the Board submits a private report to the Secretary-General on the work of each session.  The Secretary-General, as requested by the Assembly in 1983 (resolution 38/183 O), submits a report on the work of the Board to the General Assembly.  The Secretary-General also submits a note to the Assembly, transmitting the report of the Director of UNIDIR and the report of the Board of Trustees of the Institute.

For further information, please contact Patrick Lamb, Acting Secretary of the Advisory Board, (212)963-5537, lambp@un.org.

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For information media • not an official record