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UNSGM experts join Basic Training Course in South Africa
From 26 June – 7 July 2023, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) of South Africa, in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, organized a basic training course for the United Nations Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigations of Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons (UNSGM) in Johannesburg, South Africa. The objective of the basic training courses for the UNSGM is to provide experts nominated by UN Member States to the UNSGM roster with a better understanding of…
Launch of the second edition of the Disarmament Toolkit online course
A diverse group of students, professors, representatives of international organizations, civil society organizations and practitioners from Asia and the Pacific joined the second edition of the Disarmament Toolkit online course from 21 to 30 June 2023. Prepared by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) and the India-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), the Prajnya Trust, the course aimed to provide general and technical information on disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation, with a view to making…
North African States discuss universalization and effective implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention in Rabat, Morocco
From 13 to 15 June, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), in partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco, held a regional workshop on the universalization and effective implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in Northern Africa. Fifty-two participants from four North African States Parties (Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia) and one observer State not party to the Convention (Comoros), attended the workshop. Over the course of the three days, delegates discussed regional and national approaches to implementation of the BWC, shared relevant…
Twenty-one experts from across the globe gather in Trieste to learn about virus detection and biosecurity in the framework of the Biological Weapons Convention
From 14 to 16 June, the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), together with the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), organised a joint capacity-building course on virus detection and biosecurity in the framework of Article X of the BWC at the ICGEB’s headquarters in Trieste, Italy. Under Article X of the BWC, the States Parties shall cooperate in contributing with other States or international organisations to further the development and application of scientific discoveries in the field of biology for prevention…
How does disarmament contribute to human rights? UNODA showcases its work at the Human Rights Fair in Vienna
On 5 and 6 June, the Austrian Ministry of European and International Affairs, in partnership with the United Nations in Vienna and other national and international organizations, hosted an Open Air Human Rights Fair in the Museums Quartier in Vienna. The aim of the event was to promote human rights and present the work of the Vienna-based international organizations to the public, to create a space for people to learn, reflect and engage, and to foster a greater understanding and awareness about human rights. UNODA shared an exhibition space with the Austrian…
Launch of new practical tools to promote safe and secure ammunition management
On 6 June, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the Ammunition Management Advisory Team (AMAT) of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) launched three new tools to support the implementation of the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG). The IATG provide practical guidance on safe and secure ammunition management. The new tools, namely (1) the IATG Online Digital Tool; (2) the Comprehensive IATG Training Programme;and (3) the Self-Assessment Tools form part of the UN SaferGuard programme. …
Central African States strategize in Douala, Cameroon, to support the universalization and effective implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention
From 24 to 26 May, the United Nations Disarmament Office (UNODA) partnered with the Government of Cameroon to organize a regional workshop on the universalization and effective implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in Central Africa. Participants discussed the rights and obligations under the Convention and shared experiences, challenges and best practices, strengthening networks and working relationships, with a view to enhancing BWC implementation. At the same time, UNODA staff worked closely with delegates to identify national needs and…
African States meet in Addis Ababa to strengthen implementation of Biological Weapons Convention
On 16 and 17 May, National Contact Points (NCPs) and representatives from 26 African States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) attended a two-day training course in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to discuss ways to strengthen the implementation of the BWC, and share information, national experiences and best practices. The Regional Training Course was organized by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) in response to requests from NCPs to support their critical role in fulfilling their State’s obligations under the Convention. Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-…
Cambodia is one step closer to preparing its 1540 National Action Plan
The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA) supported Cambodian authorities in delivering an introductory workshop to advance the development of a Voluntary National Action Plan for the Implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) in the country’s capital, Phnom Penh. This workshop was hosted by the General Secretariat of the National Authority for the Prohibition of Chemical, Nuclear, Biological and Radiological Weapons (NACW) of Cambodia pursuant to UNSCR 2663 (2002), which calls on States to prepare national implementation action plans, with the assistance…
Dozens of States join training workshops to promote transparency in armaments
On 2 and 3 May 2023, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) partnered with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) to organize virtual workshops for Permanent Missions and national focal points on preparing reports to the UN Register of Conventional Arms (UNROCA/Register). The Register is the only global instrument on the arms trade. It was established in 1991 through a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly and encourages Member States to report on international transfers of seven categories of major conventional…