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Side-event on UNIDIR development of the International Small Arms and Ammunition Guidance Platform (ISAP)
To accompany the start of the thematic debate on conventional weapons in the First Committee, the Permanent Missions of Germany and Switzerland to the UN, in cooperation with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), hosted a side event on Monday 26 October 2015. It was titled “Applying Small Arms and Ammunition Control Guidelines in Conflict Affected Areas: Lessons learned and Proposed Tools for Solutions.” There are substantial challenges to the application of global small arms and ammunition guidelines, as there are often significant resource…
Discussing Drones at the UN Headquarters
Michael Spies, Alexandra Hiniker, Maritza Chan, Amrit Singh, Hina Shamsi and Wim Zwijnenburg. The First Committee of the UN General Assembly saw its very first side event on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), or drones, on Friday 23 October 2015. The Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the United Nations and PAX hosted a debate on “Discussing Drones: Engaging the international community on unmanned systems.” The session was moderated by Alexandra Hiniker, PAX’s Representative to the United Nations in New York. The event combined legal, ethical and political perspectives on the use and…
UNLIREC Provided Assistance on Firearms Forensic Ballistics to Belize
Participants engaging in discussions on serial number restoration methods From 19 to 24 October 2015, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) carried out, in collaboration with the Government of Belize, a three-day training course on standard operating procedures awareness and an update of the technical assessment of national capabilities and infrastructure for firearms forensic ballistics. The cooperation was launched with a seminar for prosecutors, magistrates, and other institutional representatives…
Side Event on Cybersecurity and the Way Forward
First Committee Cybersecurity Panel To enrich the discussion on cybersecurity in the First Committee, the Permanent Mission of the Netherlands hosted a side event on 20 October 2015 called “Maintaining international peace and security in cyberspace.” While the fast developments in cyberspace offer many opportunities, they also pose risks. The international community has been addressing these risks through several venues, with the UN at a central point. The side event updated the audience on the progress that has been made so far, and how to move forward. It was moderated by Wouter…
First Committee Side Event on Generation of Change: Encouraging Youth Action for Nuclear Abolition
On Friday 16 October the Permanent Mission of Japan hosted a side event in coordination with the Steering Committee for the International Youth Summit for Nuclear Abolition called: “Generation of Change: Encouraging Youth Action for Nuclear Abolition.” The event, chaired by Anna Ikeda of Soka Gakkai International, presented the work and outcome of the Youth Summit for Nuclear Abolition, which was held from 28 to 30 August in Hiroshima, Japan. The Summit brought together 30 youth leaders from 23 countries, to share strategies on youth participation and engagement in the push towards the…
Side event at the First Committee on Nuclear Disarmament Verification
On Wednesday 14 October the members of the First Committee enjoyed a side event hosted by the Permanent Mission of the United States, called “Harnessing the tools and technologies to realize nuclear disarmament: International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification.” The International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification (IPNDV) is an initiative of the US, and consists of more than 25 States that share expertise on technical, legal and logistic challenges related to nuclear disarmament verification mechanisms. The side event briefed the First Committee on the…
Side Event on Cyber and Autonomous Weapons
Dr. Heather Roff on “Cybersecurity, articial intelligence and autonomous weapons: Critical intersections.” The First Committee of the UN general Assembly on Disarmament and International Security commenced on Thursday 8 October, and 9 October saw this year’s first side event. It was hosted by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), and featured a lively discussion on Cyber and autonomous weapons: Potential overlap, interaction and vulnerabilities. The event started off with an introduction by Kerstin Vignard, Deputy to the Director at UNIDIR. She situated the…
Study on Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
On 12 October 2015, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) published thestudy on armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The study was prepared by UNODA pursuant to the recommendation of the Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters in its report A/69/208 following its 2014 sessions, with assistance by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and the Human Rights Institute at the Columbia University School of Law. The issue of UAVs is not new for the United Nations disarmament machinery. Historically, the primary concern…
Building Networks to Empower Women on Peace and Disarmament Issues
On 23 July 2015, for the second year in a row, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) in Vienna briefed the Women Ambassadors in Wien (WAW) on the mandate and upcoming initiatives of the Office. This year, the briefing took place at the European Union Permanent Mission and was centered on themes of bridging the gender gap and moving towards gender balance in disarmament and non-proliferation, as well as the role which education can play in order to empower more women to increase their contribution towards peace. Mr. Péricles Gasparini, Chief of UNODA Office at Vienna…
Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education Partnership Gains New Strategic Thinkers
The First Steering Team Meeting in session (Photo Library: UNODA Vienna) The Steering Team, an expert group of 18 eminent members comprising of ambassadors and diplomats from permanent missions, regional organizations and NGOs, met for the first time on 2 September 2015 in Vienna, putting wind in the sails of United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs’(UNODA) Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (DNP) Education Partnership. The DNP Education Partnership, as regards its strategic vision, weaves together 4 of the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Post …