Secretary-General's remarks at the Seventh Ministerial Meeting of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)
I am especially grateful to see representatives of countries which have not yet ratified the treaty. Throughout my diplomatic career, I have pushed for an end to nuclear tests. As Secretary-General, I have consistently advocated universal ratification of the CTBT. This treaty bans all nuclear tests, constrains the development and proliferation of nuclear weapons, and contributes to progress on nuclear disarmament. The CTBT also helps protect our environment against harmful radioactive by-products of nuclear tests. But we must secure the ratifications necessary for entry into force.The World Agrees: No Right to Bear Unregulated Arms
As the ATT becomes international law, campaigners are already gearing up for enforcement and vigilance mechanisms. Mexico, a country ridden with what under its laws are illegal weapons from across the U.S. border, has offered to host the first conference of state parties and a temporary secretariat. “The rules of procedure, reporting, and verification will be set then,” says Kane. “Very few states have mechanisms against gender-based violence,” so these mechanisms will have to be put in place in most countries. But today is a day to pause for celebration. The world has agreed that there is no right to bear unregulated arms.The Arms Trade Treaty will make it harder for weapons and ammunition to reach those who misuse them
Message from Michael Douglas, UN Messenger of Peace: the Arms Trade Treaty will make it harder for weapons and ammunition to reach those who misuse them.UNFOLD ZERO and the UNODA to mark International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons in Geneva on 25 Sept
UNFOLD ZERO and the UNODA to mark International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons in Geneva on 25 SeptUNFOLDZERO interview with High Representative Kane with on the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
In the eve of the first International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, UNFOLDZERO interviewed the United Nations High Representative for Disarmament, Angela Kane. Watch the interview to learn what opportunities she sees in nuclear disarmament and what is the role of the UN.Secretary-General remarks at the informal meeting of the General Assembly to mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests
Nuclear disarmament has always been a priority for me, and ending testing is a central component. The International Day against Nuclear Tests recognizes two critical events. On this day in 1991, Kazakhstan closed a nuclear test site near Semipalatinsk. On that same date in 1949, the Soviet Union conducted its first nuclear test. This was followed by another 455 nuclear tests, with a terrible effect on local population and environment. I saw some of the enduring aftermath, and I spoke to people affected when I visited Semipalatinsk myself in April 2010, and I commend the visionary leadership and courage of President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan by unilaterally and decisively closing the site in Semipalatinsk.Secretary-General: Convention might have banned cluster munitions, but allegations of use by non-states parties persist
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message, as delivered by Virginia Gamba, Director of the Office for Disarmament Affairs, Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, to the fifth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, held in San Jose, Costa Rica, 2-5 September:High Representative Kane in Telegraph (UK) Article Calling for Pre-emptive Ban on Killer Robots and Fully Autonomous Weapons
Killer robots programmed to open fire without human control are just a “small step” from the battlefield and military powers should agree to outlaw them, a top United Nations official has said.International Day Against Nuclear Tests – 29 August 2014
This year's International Day Against Nuclear Tests will be on 29 August.United Nations launches new website to commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons – 26 September 2014
United Nations launches new website to commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons – 26 September 2014New UNIDIR Publication: “An Illusion of Safety – Challenges of Nuclear Weapon Detonations for United Nations Humanitarian Coordination and Response”
Prompted by findings from international conferences on their humanitarian impacts held in Norway in March 2013 and Mexico in February 2014, this UNIDIR study explores the challenges for activation and operation of the humanitarian system in a range of plausible, illustrative nuclear weapon detonation scenarios. As a scoping exercise the study identifies specific issues that warrant further policy and operational attention in order to enhance civilian protection from nuclear weapons. It suggests steps the humanitarian system could take to better plan for such eventualities, as well as the redoubling of efforts to prevent nuclear weapons ever being used again in populated areas—whether deliberately or accidentally.Secretary-General’s message to third review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction – delivered by Ms Angela Kane, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs
I am pleased to send greetings to all participants at this important Review Conference. I thank Mozambique for hosting 15 years after the first meeting under this Convention was held in Maputo. This is a fitting tribute to Mozambique’s leadership. I applaud the extraordinary results achieved since the First Meeting of the States Parties. The United Nations has proudly assisted more than 50 affected States while standing as an unfaltering advocate for the Convention’s universalisation. We are fully committed to supporting the global campaign against mines, as demonstrated by our 2013-2018 Strategy on Mine Action and our Mine Action Team. I pay special tribute to the courageous deminers on the frontlines of our campaign.States Recommit to Stemming Illicit Flow of Small Arms by Tackling New Tracing Challenges
Concluding its week-long session today, the Fifth Biennial Meeting of States on small arms and light weapons adopted by consensus an outcome document that highlighted the international community’s renewed commitment to preventing, combating and eradicating the illicit trade. The text, adopted as orally revised, covered several main areas, including implementation of the 2001 Programme of Action and international tracing instrument; global cooperation and assistance; and follow-up to the Second Review Conference in 2012, recommending steps for the way forward.Restraint Urged over Illicit Weapons Trade in Biennial Review Meeting amid Calls to Ensure Respect for Legitimate Business, Personal Rights
Representatives of international, regional and non-governmental groups discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the United Nations small arms action plan, with many urging States to fully implement the 2001 instrument and others cautioning against infringing legitimate business and personal rights, as the Fifth Biennial Meeting of States continued its session.Improving Stockpile Management, Surplus Disposal Central to Combating Illicit Trade in Small Arms, Light Weapons
Fifth Biennial Meeting of State on Illicit Trade in Small Arms 5th & 6th Meetings hear improving stockpile management, surplus disposal central to combating illicit trade in small arms, light weapons.New Difficult-to-Erase ‘Marking’ Technologies Constrain Diversion of Weapons to Illicit Trade
New Fifth Biennial Meeting of States on Illicit Trade in Small Arms 3rd & 4th Meeting hear Difficult-to-Erase ‘Marking’ Technologies Constrain Diversion of Weapons to Illicit Trade.Strong collective efforts needed to keep small arms, light weapons from proliferating
5th Biennial Meeting of States on the Programme of Action (PoA), held in United Nations Headquarters in New York from June 16 to 20, hears that strong collective efforts are needed to keep small arms, light weapons (SALW) from proliferating.Second National Workshop on the implementation of the BWC in Nepal
The Second National Workshop on the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) was held in Kathmandu, Nepal from 9-10 June 2014. The workshop was part of an assistance programme for Nepal and was organised by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), through the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) and the UNODA-Geneva Branch, and with financial support from the European Union (EU), in cooperation with the government of Nepal.On One Year Anniversary of Opening for Signature, 8 countries, Australia, Samoa, ratify UN Arms Trade Treaty
To mark the one year anniversary of the opening for signature of the UN Arms Trade Treaty, eight additional states ratified the ATT, bringing the total number of ratifications to 40. The treaty will enter into force 90 days after deposit of the 50th ratification.Representatives from the eight ratifying states gathered at the United Nations in New York. They included two Pacific countries, Australia and Samoa, as well as Belgium, Burkina Faso, Jamaica, Luxembourg, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.