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Side event on “Advancing NPT Article VI Goals as New START Expires”
On 9 October, Austria, the Arms Control Association and DeepCuts held a side event on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly First Committee to discuss advancing the goals of Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), particularly in light of the anticipated expiration of the New START Treaty in February 2026. Austria, together with other States, recently circulated a joint statement calling for “the urgent commencement of negotiations for a successor agreement” to New START, formally called the Treaty on Measures for the Further…
UNREC Convenes Webinar on “Rebalancing Security for Sustainable Development”
Lomé, 10 October 2025: The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) hosted a regional webinar on “Rebalancing Security for Sustainable Development,” bringing together African Member States, regional organizations, and civil society actors to discuss the UN Secretary-General’s report, “The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future.” The webinar explored the impact of rising military spending on social investment and human security in Africa. Participants emphasized the need to align national security budgets…
UNODA organizes Basic Training ‘Refresher’ for UNSGM Experts
From 5 to 11 October 2025, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs organized a Basic Training ‘Refresher’ course for the United Nations Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigations of Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons (UNSGM) in Cha Am, Thailand. Basic training courses for the UNSGM are aimed at providing experts nominated by UN Member States to the UNSGM roster with a better understanding of their role in carrying out investigations of alleged use of biological weapons should they be deployed as part of a UNSGM mission. This includes key information about the…
UN Secretary-General’s report on “Rebalancing Military Spending for Sustainable Peace and Development” is the subject of Vienna Conversation Series event
In the 2024 Pact for the Future, Member States 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”. The report The Security We Need: Rebalancing Military Spending for a Sustainable and Peaceful Future was published in September 2025 and highlighted at a press conference with the Secretary-General, as well as two events on the sidelines of the High-Level Week of the General Assembly: an interview between the High Representative and the Acting Administrator of the UN…
1540 TechHorizon Launched: Exploring Future Opportunities
A consortium of experts from universities across the United Kingdom (UK) and government officials gathered in London on 18 September 2025 to launch the 1540 TechHorizon initiative, in partnership with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. The initiative aims to explore how UK-based academic, technical, and policy communities can contribute collaboratively to the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1540, especially in the face of the threat from emerging technologies, as well as the opportunities presented by new technology. Convened by the…
Regional Workshop on the Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention in Central Asia and Mongolia
From 23 to 24 September 2025, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) within the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) organized a regional workshop on the implementation of the BWC in Central Asia and Mongolia. The workshop was held in cooperation with the Committee for Industrial, Radiation and Nuclear Safety under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The purpose of the workshop was to deepen participants’ understanding of the Convention and to inform about the efforts within the…
African diplomats and experts reflect on developments in science and technology and their implications for international peace and security and on the Continent
On 17 September, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) convened a virtual regional briefing on Security and Technology for African diplomats and experts. The objective was to prepare delegates, both in New York and in capitals, for the upcoming 80th session of the First Committee of the General Assembly scheduled for October in New York. The briefing, organized in collaboration with UNODA’s Science, Technology and International Security Unit (STU), unpacked the emerging international peace and security threats posed by artificial intelligence,…
Southern Africa vows to strengthen regional cooperation and foster gender responsive arms control to address the illicit proliferation of Small Arms in the region
Southern Africa vows to strengthen regional cooperation and foster gender responsive arms control to address the illicit proliferation of Small Arms in the region On 3–4 September 2025, United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa and the South African Development Community co-hosted a Regional Strategic Workshop in Johannesburg on gender mainstreaming in small arms control in Southern Africa. The workshop aimed to: (i) build Member States’ capacity to develop gender-responsive policies and programmes for implementing the UN PoA; and (ii) strengthen regional…
West African countries meet to advance gender-responsive arms control at a Regional Strategic Workshop
West African countries joined forces to advance gender-responsive arms control at a Regional Strategic Workshop Abuja, Nigeria, 6–7 August 2025 Co-organized by UNREC and ECOWAS, the workshop aimed to raise awareness and strengthen national capacities to design and implement gender-sensitive arms control initiatives. Over 40 participants—including 20 women—from 12 ECOWAS Member States attended, alongside representatives from ECOWAS Commission (Political Affairs, Peace and Security; Gender; Early Warning), WAEMU, the EU, and UN entities (UN Women, UNODC, UNMAS, UNOWAS, UNICEF, and…
Key Takeaways of The Military AI, Peace & Security Dialogues 2025
Key Takeaways of The Military AI, Peace & Security Dialogues 2025 Download the PDF version here The 2025 Military AI, Peace & Security (MAPS) Dialogues, convened by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and funded by the Republic of Korea, aim to provide a platform for States to share knowledge and raise awareness about the international peace and security implications of AI in the military domain. The initiative serves ongoing multilateral discussions by providing a neutral setting in which States can engage with international organizations, civil…