Disarmament

Wrapping up its week-long session today, the Preparatory Committee unanimously adopted its draft report, as orally revised, for submission to the Second Review Conference on the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons.

On the penultimate day of its week-long session, members of the Preparatory Committee fine-tuned a draft report to be sent to the Second Review Conference on the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, to be held in New York from 27 August to 7 September 2012. Members held formal and informal discussions throughout the day to finalize the draft report of the Preparatory Committee.

Ending human suffering was the primary purpose of the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, a Nigerian doctor reminded delegates today as they prepared for an upcoming review conference. “I am here as a medical doctor,” said Hakeem Ayinde of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War — International Action Network on Small Arms. “Why are you here?

Although national and regional efforts were being made to combat the illicit arms trade, more international assistance and cooperation was essential for the effective implementation of the relevant Programme of Action, delegations said today as they continued their thematic debate on all aspects of trafficking in small arms and light weapons.

The tragic deaths of thousands of men, women and children worldwide, killed every day by illegal firearms, was the high price of failing to halt the spread of those weapons, delegations at United Nations Headquarters said today as they began preparations for an upcoming conference to review the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons.

Michael Douglas, United Nations Messenger of Peace, disarmament activist and internationally famed actor and producer has given his time to help promote a world free of nuclear weapons by producing a public service announcement to promote an international art contest for young people.

The United Nations Disarmament Commission, in an organizational meeting today, elected Enrique Roman-Morey of Peru as Chairman of its upcoming three-week substantive session — slated to run from 2 to 20 April — as consensus on its provisional agenda remained elusive.

The Tenth United Nations-Republic of Korea Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-proliferation Issues will take place in Jeju, Republic of Korea, on 7 and 8 November. This annual event is organized jointly by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs through its Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific and the Government of the Republic of Korea. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is sending a video message to the Conference.

The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs will organize a special event entitled “Transparency in the Global Arms Trade” at United Nations Headquarters on 18 October, accompanying the launch of a new, ground-breaking Web feature offering unprecedented insight into the global reported arms trade.

The 2011 Disarmament Fellowship Programme will commence its third and final segment today in New York. Diplomats from the following 25 Member States are participating in the 2011 Disarmament Fellowship Programme: Belarus, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Russian Federation, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Togo, United Republic of Tanzania, United States and Uzbekistan.