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First Iteration of ‘India-UNODA Capacity-building Program on UNSCR 1540 and Export Controls for Asia-Pacific States’
25-27 February 2025 (Palasamudram, India) With a view to strengthening implementation of UNSCR 1540 (2004) – which aims to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to and by non-State actors, including terrorists – the Government of India collaborated with the United Nations Office for Disarmament (UNODA) to carry out the first ‘India-UNODA Capacity-building Program on Implementation of UNSCR 1540 and Strategic Trade Controls for Asia-Pacific States’. This event took place in Palasamudram, India, and was co-funded by the Government of India and UNODA (through a financial…
The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs organized a commemorative event on Disarmament Education for the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness
On 5 March, in recognition of the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations and Cornell University’s Reppy Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, hosted a commemorative event titled “The History, Success, and Challenges of Nuclear Disarmament Education.” The Kyrgyz Republic reaffirmed its dedication to raising awareness about the devastating impact of weapons of mass destruction. With a focus on digital…
Building the global norm against biological weapons: the 1925 Geneva Protocol and the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention
From 24 to 28 February 2025, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) Geneva Branch and the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) hosted a commemorative exhibition at the Palais des Nations. Marking the centenary of the 1925 Geneva Protocol and the fiftieth anniversary of the entry into force of the BWC, the exhibition highlighted the efforts of multiple stakeholders to build the global norm against the use of biological weapons and emphasized the continued relevance of these two milestone agreements in maintaining global…
Sustaining the fight against the illicit proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons in The Gambia
A delegation of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) travelled to Banjul from 27 to 31 January. The main objective of their Mission was threefold: i) assess the institutional capacities of the recently established National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW); ii) support for the development of a national action plan on SALW; and iii) foster stronger collaboration among national stakeholders and with the United Nations Country Team. The mission took place in the context of the implementation of the EU funded project, entitled “United…
Parliamentarians from African States not party to the Biological Weapons Convention gather in support of universalisation
On 10 and 11 February, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) welcomed parliamentary delegations from Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt and Somalia, five of the six African States not yet party to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), to Geneva for a high-level seminar in support of universalisation. The seminar focussed on raising awareness about the importance of BWC universalisation and sought to encourage broad regional and international cooperation to that end. Delegates with His Excellency Ambassador Frederico S. Duque…
Call for Papers: The impact of the global increase in military expenditure on the achievement of the sustainable development goals
In the Pact for the Future, adopted by the General Assembly in September 2024, Member States voiced their concern about the potential impact that the global increase in military expenditures could have on investments in sustainable development and sustaining peace. To that end, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to “provide analysis on the impact of the global increase in military expenditure on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by the end of the seventy-ninth session”. With the aim of encouraging engagement and reflection on this subject by Member…
Mauritania strengthens national implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention
From 13 to 14 January 2025 in Nouakchott, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the Radiation Protection, Nuclear Safety and Security Authority (ARSN) of Mauritania jointly organized a national workshop on strengthening the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). This was the first workshop of its kind in Mauritania since it joined the BWC in 2015. Mauritania has made significant progress towards BWC implementation prior to the event including the nomination a BWC National Contact Point (NCP) in 2023 and the submission of its first…
African Amnesty Month: Djibouti launches activities to ‘Silence the Guns’
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) took part in the launch of the African Amnesty Month (AAM) in Djibouti from 29th to 31st October, along with the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA), which also represented the African Union. During the three-day mission, several activities were held to raise awareness about the fight against the illicit trade and use of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). These included planting trees at Camp Lemonnier;a march from Camp Lemonnier to the National police shooting range; the…
UNODA joins global efforts for 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
From 25 November to the 10 December, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs joined UN Women, the Secretary-General’s Say NO –UNiTE to End Violence against Women Campaign and the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign 2020. 16 Days of Activism is an annual, worldwide campaign calling for the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence (GBV). Throughout the campaign period, UNODA published over 40 social media posts in English, French and Spanish, joining…
Disarmament4Educators Kicks Off with Online Roundtable Series
“What is the biggest challenge you see in the next year for building up disarmament education in your organization?” Disarmament experts and educators tackled this and other topics at the recent Disarmament4Educators Roundtable Series, organised by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA). The Roundtable Series, which took place from 18 November to 9 December 2020, are part of the ongoing Disarmament4Educators project, supported by generous donations from the Government of the Republic of Korea and Rissho Kosei-kai. By combining online learning…