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MAPS Dialogues | Before and After Use: A Life-Cycle View of Military AI from Pre-design to Decommissioning
The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) convened the second webinar of the 2026 Military AI, Peace & Security (MAPS) Dialogues on 28 May 2026. This three-part series, supported by the Republic of Korea, leads into the UN informal exchanges on AI in the military domain, taking place in Geneva from 15 to 17 June 2026. The webinar brought together representatives of governments, industry, academia, and civil society to look at the eleven life-cycle stages set out in General Assembly resolution 80/58 (pre-design, design, development,…
Erlangen Initiative Expands to Southeastern Europe with First UNSCR 1540 Regional Outreach to Academia Conference
On 12-13 May 2026, the German Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA), in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), organized the inaugural Resolution 1540 Regional Outreach to Academia Conference for Southeastern Europe, held in Tirana, Albania. This was the first such event under the Erlangen Initiative, which engages academia to translate the objectives of United Nations Security Council resolution 1540 into practical prevention measures, held in Southeastern Europe. In her opening remarks, Blerina Abrazhda, Deputy Minister of…
‘Reaffirming Commitment to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention for the Protection of Civilians’ during the 2026 Protection of Civilians Week
On 21 May 2026, the Permanent Mission of Norway to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) co-organized a side event on the margins of the 2026 Protection of Civilians Week on “Reaffirming commitment to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention for the Protection of Civilians”. The event was co-sponsored by Colombia, Zambia, Algeria, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, New Zealand, Lebanon, Belgium, the Philippines, Ireland, Switzerland, Canada, South Africa, Australia, UNODA, UNMAS, UNICEF, OCHA and Norwegian People’s Aid. Bringing together representatives…
Cameroon Hosts First National Consultation under Regional SALW Governance Initiative in Central Africa
On 5–6 May 2026, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and its regional centre, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), supported a national consultation in Yaoundé, Cameroon, under the UNSCAR-funded project “Development of a Blueprint for SALW Governance in Central Africa” implemented by the Cameroon Youths and Students Forum for Peace (CAMYOSFOP). …
UNODA supports the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention in Gabon, Liberia and Senegal
UNODA supports the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention in Gabon, Liberia and Senegal The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), through its 2026 – 2030 programme to support the universalisation and effective implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, has conducted a series of workshops to strengthen the national implementation of the Convention in Gabon, Liberia and Senegal. The activities were…
Training Course on Microbial Genomics and Bioforensics at the German Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology in Munich
Training Course on Microbial Genomics and Bioforensics at the German Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology in Munich From 16 to 27 March 2026, in Munich, Germany, the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) within the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) co-organized a Training Course on Pathogen Detection and Biosecurity in partnership with the German Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology (IMB). The training was convened with financial support from Norway and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The training…
Progress Accelerates on Costa Rica’s UNSCR 1540 National Action Plan
The Second Workshop on the development of Costa Rica’s National Action Plan (NAP) for the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) was held on 29–30 April 2026 in San José, Costa Rica. It was organized by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) in collaboration with the 1540 Committee and the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism of the Organization of American States (CICTE/OAS). The workshop convened a broad range of national and international stakeholders to advance Costa Rica’s…
MAPS Dialogues – A Shared Vocabulary for Military AI: Bridging Technical Understanding and Policy Needs
ODA convened the first webinar of the 2026 Military AI, Peace & Security (MAPS) Dialogues on 7 May 2026. This three-part series, supported by the Republic of Korea, leads into the UN informal exchanges on AI in the military domain, taking place in Geneva from15 to17 June 2026. The session brought together over 160 participants from across governments, industry, academia, and civil society. Opening the discussion, H.E. Ambassador Jongin Bae, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, framed the stakes: “Without the shared vocabulary, even well-…
Youth advocates take center stage at the 11th NPT Review Conference
On the margins of the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), UNODA's #Youth4Disarmament and Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons (YLF) brought young leaders from around the world to New York City to showcase their expertise, creativity, and forward-looking perspectives in discussions on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Across four side events, the participants highlighted the growing role of youth not only as…
UNODA at the Long Night of Research 2026: Are AI and cyber technology making nuclear weapons more dangerous?
On 24 April, Austria’s largest event dedicated to science, research and innovation brought thousands of people into more than 3,000 research centers across the country to explore science-related issues. On this occasion, the Vienna International Centre (VIC) opened its doors to some 2,900 visitors. The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) Vienna Office joined the programme, for the third time, with an interactive booth asking: “Are AI and cyber technologies making nuclear weapons more dangerous?”. Through games and discussions with UNODA staff, visitors shared their views…