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ANIAC, in partnership with UNREC, strengthens chemical security and combats illegal trafficking.
Lomé, 6 November 2025: The National Authority for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (ANIAC-TOGO), in collaboration with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC), held a strategic capacity-building workshop dedicated to securing the management of toxic chemicals. The workshop aimed to evaluate and reinforce national mechanisms for controlling the transfer and use of hazardous substances, aligning with the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). As a key regional partner, UNREC provided technical expertise to ensure that Togo’s…
UNREC deploys an assessment mission to Ghana for the SALIENT Fund Technical Review Meeting
Group photo of the SALIENT Fund Technical Review Meeting with UNREC Director and UNDP Ghana Deputy Resident Representative Accra, 14 August 2025: The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) concluded a strategic assessment mission to Ghana. The mission aimed to evaluate the status of the “Saving Lives Entity” (SALIENT) project, a flagship initiative dedicated to addressing armed violence and the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW). The SALIENT Fund, a joint effort between the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs…
Burundi Validates its National Action Plan to Combat the Illicit Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons
Bujumbura, 25 November 2025: In response to the security challenges posed by the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the Great Lakes region, Burundi continues to strengthen its national arms control framework. In this context, a National Validation Workshop of the National Action Plan (NAP) to Combat the Illicit Proliferation of SALW was held on 25 November 2025 in Bujumbura, at the Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika. The workshop brought together 25 participants, including representatives from the National Commission on SALW, relevant line ministries, defense and…
Charting pathways to strengthen armed violence prevention in West Africa
Version française ci-dessous On 26-27 November, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) convened a workshop in Lomé, Togo, to consider and chart the implementation of a study on integrating the prevention of violent extremism and illicit weapons proliferation. The event brought together over 50 West African experts from States, the UN, regional and continental organizations, civil society and academia. In recent years,…
The BWC at 50: African Conference Highlights Progress, Challenges and the Road Ahead
From 26 to 28 November 2025, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), in partnership with the Government of Kenya, held the first African Conference on the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in Nairobi, Kenya. The landmark event, held in the year of the 50th anniversary of the BWC, was the largest ever gathering of African States parties to the BWC and showcased the region’s growing leadership on issues related to disarmament and biosecurity. The conference was attended by 140 delegates, including officials from 47 African States Parties, three African States not…
Sustaining Peace: UNREC’s Mission to Strengthen Arms Control in Burundi
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) conducted a mission from 9 to 13 December in partnership with Burundi’s National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). The mission aimed to address arms marking, control challenges, the development of a national action plan on SALW as well as to foster stronger collaborations among key stakeholders. Opening ceremony of the workshop on the development of the National Action plan to fight the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) A central focus of the mission was to…
The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs hosted an event on the regulation of Incendiary Weapons
On 13 November, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) hosted a hybrid side event during the 2024 Annual Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) in Geneva. The event focused on a recent UNODA publication titled “The Regulation of Incendiary Weapons under International Humanitarian Law,”made possible through the financial support of the European Union as part of its project in support of the universalization, implementation and strengthening of the CCW. Co-moderated by Ms. Mariam Bilikhodze, Consultant at…
Side event shines a light on the benefits of voluntary information sharing on new weapons, means and methods of warfare
Building on an event earlier in the year that explored the importance of legal reviews of new weapons, means and methods of warfare, on 17 October the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) hosted speakers from the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) to shine a light on the role that voluntary exchanges of information could play in legal reviews. Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative forDisarmament Affairs addresses the side…
UNODA Vienna Office celebrated Disarmament Week with a photo exhibition – Have a look!
Disarmament Week seeks to promote awareness and better understanding of disarmament issues and their cross-cutting importance. To celebrate this week, the Vienna Office of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) organised an interactive exhibition from 24 to 30 October. The exhibition was housed in the Rotunda of the Vienna International Centre which is home to various international organisations relevant to UNODA’s work, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), the United Nations Office on…
Strengthening the African Network of National Points of Contact on UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004)
Dialogue, cooperation and assistance are integral to promoting and advancing the implementation of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004). National Points of Contact designated pursuant to the resolution (1540 PoCs) play an important role in this regard. While their role and responsibilities are determined by the respective States, PoCs are recognized as facilitators of direct contact between Member States and the 1540 Committee, as conduits for cooperation with international and regional organizations and assistance providers, as well as entry points for fostering the sharing of…