Government of Mexico to Host United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) Regional Industry Outreach Conference, 8-9 June

NEW YORK, 6 June 2017 (Office for Disarmament Affairs) — The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) Regional Industry Conference for the Pacific Alliance States (Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru) and Brazil will be held in Mexico City from 8 to 9 June.

Hosted by the Government of Mexico, the Conference is organized in coordination with the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) and supported by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs with financial support from the Government of Germany.

In 2012, the first global Industry Outreach Conference on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) was held in Wiesbaden, Germany.  Since then, three such conferences have been held annually, and the series has come to be known as the “Wiesbaden Process”.  Its objective is to promote cooperation between Governments and industry to support the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to non-State actors.  Industry is an important stakeholder and should partner with Governments in combating the proliferation, and its effective partnership with Governments is vital to successful non-proliferation efforts.

The Wiesbaden Process has taken a regional approach in its engagement with industry to better address region-specific issues.  In that regard, the Government of the Republic of Korea hosted the first regional conference for Asia in Seoul in September 2016.

The second regional conference, for the Pacific Alliance States and Brazil, is intended for Government officials and industry representatives in the region, and other attendees of previous Wiesbaden Process conferences who are responsible for non-proliferation policy, export-control and customs services.  Relevant international organizations, including the Office for Disarmament Affairs and representatives of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) will also participate.

Background

Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1540 on 28 April 2004, obliging all States to refrain from providing any form of support to non-State actors that attempt to develop, acquire, manufacture, possess, transport, transfer or use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their means of delivery.  Under the resolution, all States are to establish domestic controls to prevent the proliferation of these weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, including by establishing appropriate controls over related materials.

Resolution 1540 (2004) established a Committee of the Security Council, as its subsidiary body, to report to the Council on the implementation of the resolution.  On 20 April 2011, the Security Council adopted resolution 1977 (2011), which extended the Committee’s mandate until 25 April 2021.

The Security Council further adopted resolution 2325 on 15 December 2016, which endorsed the recommendations of the Committee’s Comprehensive Review of the Implementation Status of Resolution 1540 (2004), and inter alia, encouraged the Committee to draw on relevant expertise, including from civil society and the private sector.

For further information, please contact Aaron Junhoung Yoo at email:  yoo2@un.org.