Approving Work Programme, First Committee Will Focus on Disarmament Machinery, Nuclear Non-proliferation, International Security, Outer Space

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met today for a brief organizational meeting to adopt its agenda and work programme for the seventy-first session of the General Assembly.

Following a general debate on all disarmament and international security-related agenda items, delegations would hold thematic debates on nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, disarmament aspects of outer space, conventional weapons, other disarmament measures and international security, regional disarmament and the disarmament machinery.

Outlining the Committee’s work programme, Sabri Boukadoum (Algeria), its Chair, said the body’s general debate would take place from 3 to 11 October, with an informal segment on 12 October to hear statements from non-governmental organization representatives.  On 11 October, an exchange would be held with the Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs on the follow-up of resolutions and decisions approved by the Committee and adopted by the General Assembly at its previous sessions.

Subsequently, the Committee would devote 12 meetings to thematic discussions, from 13 October to 26 October, during which it would introduce for consideration all draft resolutions and decisions.  On the first day of the thematic segment, 13 October, after a statement by the President of the General Assembly, the Committee would hold a high-level exchange with the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs and other senior officials in the field of arms control and disarmament.  The theme would be “the current state of affairs in the field of arms control and disarmament and the role of international organizations with mandates in this field”.

Other panels would be scheduled during the thematic segment.  They included a discussion on 24 October under the regional disarmament and security cluster with the directors of the three United Nations Regional Centres for Peace and Disarmament and an exchange later that day with representatives of the Conference on Disarmament, United Nations Disarmament Commission and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) under the cluster on disarmament machinery.

During the final phase of its work, the Committee would take action on all draft resolutions and decisions over the course of six meetings, from 27 October to 3 November, with the aim of concluding its work earlier, on 2 November.  Upon completion of the Committee’s work, the draft texts would be forwarded to the General Assembly for its consideration before the end of the main part of the seventy-first session.

Along with the Committee Chair, the Bureau is comprised of Vice-Chairs Kamapradipta Isnomo (Indonesia), Maria Soledad Urruela Arenales (Guatemala) and Rene Zeleny (Czech Republic), as well as Darren Hansen (Australia), who would serve as Rapporteur.

The First Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Monday, 3 October, to begin its general debate.