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King’s College London to host webinar in collaboration with ODA to mark the 30th anniversary of UNSCOM
This month marks the 30th anniversary of the foundation of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM), which was set up by the United Nations Security Council to oversee the elimination of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction after the first Gulf War. To commemorate the event, King’s College London, in collaboration with the Office for Disarmament Affairs, will host a virtual webinar to reflect on UNSCOM’s unique work and achievements, with a particular focus on its biological weapons work. A panel of international experts will also consider how UNSCOM’s experiences…
One year after UN’s call for global ceasefire, young leaders take stock
The first anniversary of the United Nations Secretary-General’s appeal for a global ceasefire during the pandemic, 23 March 2021, provided an opportune moment to take stock of current efforts and opportunities to promote peace, security and development. In that spirit, young peacebuilders and advocates for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals gathered virtually to learn about the relationship between armed violence and sustainable development, opportunities to rethink excessive military spending in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and…
Nuclear-arms-control experts push to bring gender equality to their work
As countries gear up to hold a major meeting on eliminating and preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, United Nations experts are eyeing a future where women and men have equal representation in such talks. On 6 April, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) held a webinar entitled “The Tenth NPT Review Conference: Integrating Gender Perspectives Into the NPT Review Process-Towards an Equal and Secure Future.” More than 100 participants attended the online event, held in advance…
Students pitch tech-based ideas for tackling peace and security challenges
Students across the Asia-Pacific region recently met with experts from a range of fields to discuss risks to international peace and security from emerging technologies – and to develop their own technology-based approaches to overcoming these challenges. The discussions took place over four days of virtual workshops held as part of the “Responsible Innovation for a Secure Environment” (RISE) project, organized by the Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA) and its regional centre for Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) in partnership with Singapore University of Technology…
UNODA, Kenya discuss confidence-building measures under Biological Weapons Convention
On 1 April 2021, the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and Kenya’s National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) co-hosted an online workshop on confidence-building measures under the BWC. Confidence-building measures (CBMs) are designed to prevent or reduce the occurrence of ambiguities, doubts and suspicions and to improve international cooperation in the field of peaceful biological activities. The workshop’s aim was to highlight practical ways to prepare and submit CBMs and explore how such measures…
UN SaferGuard Quick Response Mechanism provides ammunition technical support to Equatorial Guinea after explosions
On 7 March 2021, a series of explosions occurred at a military camp located in Bata, the largest city of Equatorial Guinea. More than 100 people died and over 600 people were injured, according to the most recent media reports. Following these tragic events, the UN Secretary-General expressed his deep condolences to the people and Government of Equatorial Guinea. Shortly after the incident, the Government requested the assistance of the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC). The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), which oversees the…
UNODA launches “Disarmament4Educators” online training course
The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) kicked off an online “Disarmament4Educators” training course on 8 March, bringing together academic professors and educators from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines and Sri Lanka to participate in eight weeks of online training sessions on disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. The aim of the Disarmament4Educators project is to strengthen education on disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control across the Asia-Pacific region. The educational materials also address cross-cutting…
Young Scientists from the Global South Join the Second Edition of the Youth for Biosecurity Workshop
As the world grapples with COVID-19 for a second year, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit (ISU) are also pushing to bolster global capacities against the misuse of biological agents . Informing young scientists about their critical role in biosafety and biosecurity was the chief aim of the second Biosecurity Diplomacy Workshop for Young Scientists from the Global South, an interactive training programme launched in January by UNODA and the Biological Weapons Convention ISU.…
UNODA convenes a regional workshop on achieving universalization of the Biological Weapons Convention in Africa
The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) was the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). It has reached almost universal adherence with only 14 States, mostly in Africa and the Pacific, remaining outside of the Convention. To encourage these States to join the Convention, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) convened a virtual regional workshop for African States, in cooperation with the BWC Implementation Support Unit (ISU) and the Permanent Mission of Kenya in Geneva on 4 March 2021. …
On International Women’s Day, parliamentarians and civil society take stock of progress to curb gun violence and illicit small arms trafficking
On 8 March, parliamentarians and civil society actors across Asia and the Pacific marked International Women’s Day with a workshop on the results, challenges and opportunities of a multi-year project tackling how illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) impact people differently based on their gender. The virtual meeting followed on from a series of workshops held in Asia and the Pacific between 2018 and 2020. The virtual event on “Gun Violence and Illicit Small-Arms Trafficking from a Gender Perspective” brought together small arms and light weapons control experts to…