Disarmament Commission Elects Bureau Members, Reviews Agenda for 2017 Session

The Disarmament Commission elected the Chair and two Vice-Chairs for its 2017 substantive session today, and took note of the provisional agenda for the third year of its three-year cycle, to be held from 3 to 21 April.

Acting by acclamation during an organizational meeting, the Commission elected Gabriela Martinic (Argentina) as Chair.  Upon assuming her post, she thanked Odo Tevi (Vanuatu) for his leadership of the 2016 substantive session, as well as the Bureau and delegations for their constructive spirit and cooperation during the previous session.  The Commission also elected George-Willhelm Gallhofer (Austria) and Rauf Alp Denktas (Turkey) as Vice-Chairs, by acclamation.  With regard to filling remaining Bureau vacancies, she appealed to regional groups concerned to conduct all necessary consultations in order to enable the Commission to start its substantive work.

Turning to the “report of the Disarmament Commission”, the Chair recalled that General Assembly resolution 71/82, adopted on 5 December 2016 and containing that report, outlined the mandate for the body’s upcoming work.  By the text, the Assembly decided that the agenda for the Commission’s 2015 substantive session should serve for the period 2015‑2017 and recommended the continued consideration, during its 2017 substantive session, of recommendations for achieving the objective of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and practical confidence-building measures in the field of conventional weapons.

The Disarmament Commission will reconvene on Monday, 3 April, to begin its substantive session.