Updates

Ms. Radha Day, Chief of Regional Disarmament and Information Outreach Branch of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, visited Hankuk University of Foreign Studies during her trip to Korea for the 23rd ROK-UN Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Issues.

She engaged with students, sharing insights on the importance of peace and disarmament, the role of youth in global initiatives and career opportunities at the UN.?

She emphasized the crucial role of youth participation in promoting peace and disarmament. We extend our heartfelt thanks…

The 23rd Republic of Korea – United Nations Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Issues, held on November 4-5, 2024, in Seoul, Republic of Korea, brought together over 100 experts, policymakers, and young professionals to tackle the critical issue of biological security. The conference, themed “The Biological Weapons Convention at Fifty: Strengthening Global Biological Security in a Rapidly Evolving Technological Landscape,” was co-organized by the Government of the Republic of Korea and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), alongside…

A dedicated program for youth participants was conducted as part of the 23rd ROK-UN Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Issues by UNRCPD and the BWC-ISU, jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (MOFA).

Youth advocates contributed to discussions on the BWC and broader topics related to biosecurity and biosafety by participating in four sessions, including one virtual meeting, to build connections across programmes and prepare recommendations to strengthen the participation of youth. The Youth Segment of the Conference included the…

From 23 to 25 October 2024, UNRCPD co-organized a regional workshop in Shenzhen, China, to enhance the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and foster biosafety and biosecurity practices in Southeast Asia. Supported by the Governments of China and Lao PDR, the workshop brought together 35 participants from ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste, alongside regional and international experts, to share insights and enhance collaboration.

Opening remarks were delivered by Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, UN High Representative for Disarmament…

From 21 to 25 October, the Youth Team at ODA Headquarters, together with its regional offices, including the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD), organized a study trip to New York during the UN First Committee for the UN Youth Champions for Disarmament.  

The study trip to New York is a key component of the UN Youth Champions for Disarmament Training Programme. Launched in October 2023 with support from the Government of Germany, the Programme aims to empower young people to advocate for disarmament within their…

From 3 to 5 September 2024, stakeholders from Nepal came together for a National Workshop on Global Instruments on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Control at the Radisson Hotel in Kathmandu. The workshop -organized by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal and the Armed Police of Nepal, with financial support by the European Union – aimed to strengthen national dialogue, policy development, and inter-agency…

Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan, 22-24 July 2024. The National Workshop on the Exchange of Best Practices on the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) was successfully organized during 22-24 July 2024, at the picturesque Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan. This pivotal three-day event brought together key stakeholders, including government officials, security forces, parliamentarians, civil society organizations, and representatives from international bodies such as the United Nations and the OSCE, to address the critical issue of small arms and light weapons control in Kyrgyzstan.

On July 15, 2024, in celebration of World Youth Skills Day, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and its Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) hosted the Asia-Pacific segment of the Regional Youth Forum. This event aimed to introduce the Asia-Pacific cohort of the UN Youth Champions for Disarmament (YC4D) and gather insights and recommendations for the Youth Champions to collate and present at the UN General Assembly in October 2024.  

YC4D: Empowering Youth in Disarmament 

Launched in October…

UNRCPD and the Prajnya Trust conclude the 2024 edition of the Disarmament Toolkit online course

The third edition of the Disarmament Toolkit, jointly organized by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) and the India-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Prajnya Trust, held online on 26-28 June and 3-5 July, for a total of six sessions.

The Disarmament Toolkit 2024 recorded 628 registered participants from 80 countries and brought together participants from various backgrounds, including…

From April 15 to 17, 2024, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, became the focal point for a critical gathering aimed at addressing one of the country’s most pressing issues: the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons (SALW). Organized by the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council (DPMNEC) in collaboration with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) and the United Nations Country Team in Papua New Guinea, the National Workshop on Coordination Mechanisms and Comprehensive National Strategy on…

The 11th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) will take place from 20-23 February under the theme: “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: The effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions in Asia and the Pacific” at the United Nations Conference Center (UNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand, and online.

In alignment with the focus of the 2024 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), the APFSD will assess progress on the SDGs under review: Goal 1 (No poverty); Goal 2 (Zero hunger);…

The Online Regional Briefing on “Fostering Gender-Responsive Arms Control: Perspectives from the Asia-Pacific Region on the UN PoA and the ATT” seeks to promote dialogue on a gender responsive small arms control and amplify the efforts initiated by the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) and the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) over the past years.

Recognition of the mutually beneficial relationship between small arms control and gender equality is growing conceptually. This acknowledgment is embedded in key frameworks…

From 23 to 25 January 2024, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD), in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, organized a preparatory meeting in Kathmandu for Asia-Pacific States in anticipation of the Fourth Review Conference (RevCon4) on the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) in All Its Aspects (PoA) and its International Tracing Instrument (ITI). The meeting was held as part of a global project by the United Nations…

KATHMANDU, 4 October. The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) convened its online regional seminar targeting the National Point of Contact (NPC) on the UN Programme of Action (UN PoA) on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) from the Asia Pacific Region.

The online regional seminar is the first of a series of meetings that UNRCPD is  convening in preparation for the Fourth Review Conference (RevCon4), scheduled to take place in June 2024 in New York.

These efforts are part of a global project that…

KATHMANDU, 21 September 2023 — The British School in Kathmandu marked the International Day of Peace 2023 with a special assembly featuring the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD). The event was aimed at fostering an understanding of “Peace and Disarmament” among students, elucidating the importance of disarmament, and encouraging active participation in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Over three hundred participants, comprising students from both junior and high school divisions as well as the teachers…

A diverse group of 49 representatives from various backgrounds and organizations convened in a spirit of regional cooperation to strengthen national implementation of the BWC in the South Asia region from 28-30 August, 2023. The event was co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) of Nepal and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) through its BWC Implementation Support Unit (ISU) and the Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD), with the support from the Government of the United Kingdom and the European Union (EU…

The second edition of the Disarmament Toolkit, jointly organized by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) and the India-based Non- Governmental Organization (NGO) the Prajnya Trust, took place virtually from 21 to 30 June 2023, for a total of six sessions. The course reached out to a diverse group of participants including students, esteemed professors, representatives of international organizations, civil society organizations and practitioners.

Day 1 was commenced by Mr. Aaron Junhoung Yoo, Deputy Director…

On 19 and 20 January 2023, the (UNRCPD) convened a workshop for high school and university educators in Nepal on “Strengthening Education in Nepal for Disarmament”, in cooperation with the  , a civil society organization in Nepal, with financial support from the Republic of Korea.

The purpose of this event was to assess the level of disarmament education currently being delivered to students in secondary and tertiary education in Nepal; to raise awareness on the meaning and importance of disarmament education while also introducing the available tools and…

On the 6-8 December 2022, the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) supported the organization of a National Roundtable on Prioritizing Items found in Mongolia’s 1540 National Action Plan, in collaboration with UNODA’s 1540 Support Unit, the Government of Mongolia and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The aim of the event, held in Ulaanbaatar, was to conduct a review of Mongolia’s 1540 National Action Plan (NAP) and identify ways of strengthening Mongolia’s implementation of UNSCR 1540 (2004). This event followed…

Through the Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD), UNODA supported the Royal Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia in organizing a national workshop to raise awareness amongst policymakers and senior Government officials on the importance of resolution 1540 (2004), the aim of which is the prevention of proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons to non-State actors.  This workshop was part of an on-going program to support States’ efforts towards fully implementing their obligations under this resolution.

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