Disarmament

Although speakers in the Disarmament Commission continued to stress the urgent need for nuclear disarmament, some speakers during today’s debate, which concluded the formal exchange of views for the session, drew attention to the scourge of small arms and light weapons ‑‑ the equivalent of “weapons of mass destruction” in Africa ‑‑ while others emphasized the need to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East.

Pointing to the “fresh and affirmative spirit of multilateralism” emerging in discussions on global disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation, Sergio Duarte, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, called on the Disarmament Commission this morning as it opened its 2010 substantive session to reach consensus on creating a nuclear-weapon-free world, a new Disarmament Decade and practical confidence-building measures in the field of conventional arms.

The United Nations Disarmament Commission, ahead of its 2010 substantive session slated for 29 March to 16 April, today elected Jean-Francis Régis Zinsou (Benin) as Chair, who urged that members “look at the future with a positive spirit”.

The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs through its Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific located in Kathmandu, Nepal, is organizing a seminar entitled “Enhancing International and Regional Cooperation to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate Illicit Brokering in Small Arms and Light Weapons in East and South-East Asia”, in Bangkok, Thailand, on 18-19 February.

A regional workshop to be held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 2 to 4 February will aim to promote the building of national- and regional-level capacity to advance full implementation of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004).

The Eighth United Nations-Republic of Korea Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-proliferation Issues will take place in Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, from 16 to 18 November.

The third segment of the 2009 Disarmament Fellowship Programme starts today at United Nations Headquarters, for a period of three and a half weeks, with the participation of young diplomats from 24 Member States.

A special event entitled “Resolution 1540: At the Crossroads” will be held at United Nations Headquarters on 1 October. Sponsored by the Office for Disarmament Affairs, the event is organized in connection with the comprehensive review of the status of implementation of resolution 1540 (2004).

Highlighting the importance of verification in “giving teeth” to disarmament and non-proliferation agreements, speakers today praised the effectiveness demonstrated by the nuclear test-ban Treaty’s International Monitoring System (IMS), as they concluded their conference aimed at promoting the Treaty’s entry into force.

Small arms experts from West African nations gathered in Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, from 14 to 18 September to participate in a capacity-building workshop focusing on implementation of the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons.