Updates

The fifteenth United Nations–Republic of Korea Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-proliferation Issues took place on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, from 17 to 18 November 2016.

This annual event was organized by the Office for Disarmament Affairs, through its Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Korea. Over forty representatives from Governments and intergovernmental organizations, as well as research institutes, academia and non-governmental organizations participated in the…

New York, 14 September 2016 (Office for Disarmament Affairs) — The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Government of Kyrgyzstan, with the assistance of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, jointly organized a national roundtable meeting to review the National Implementation Action Plan (NIAP) on the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1540 (2004). The meeting took place from 15 to 17 September 2016 in Bulan-Sogottu village of the Issyk-Kul province.

Representatives of…

The Government of Samoa and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) jointly organized a workshop on building national and regional capacity for the implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in the Pacific, in Apia Samoa, from 13 to 15 September 2016. The workshop, which was made possible with the financial support from the Governments of Australia and New Zealand, brought together approximately 25 participants from Pacific Island States to meet with international arms control experts from government, civil society and academia…

The Second Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), or CSP2, took place in Geneva from 22 to 26 August 2016. In the statements delivered by Member States in the United Nations’ General Assembly General Debate, four States highlighted their collaboration with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD).

Thailand emphasized the crucial role of international cooperation and assistance in ensuring early ratification, effective implementation and promoting the universalization of the Treaty. Thailand also stated…

Representatives of relevant ministries and other state agencies of Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan responsible for implementing provisions of UN Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 1540 (2004) on preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, met at a peer-review meeting in Minsk, Belarus, from 2 to 5 August 2016, to share experiences and discuss progress in their work. The meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus with support by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), through its Regional Centre for Peace and…

The training for the 1540 Points of Contact from Central Asia States started on 28 June 2016 in Kaliningrad, Russian Federation, in the framework of the joint UNODA-OSCE project on “Facilitating the Regional Implementation of UNSC resolution 1540 (2004)”. UNRCPD and the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre organized this three-day event in co-operation with the 1540 Committee and its Group of Experts. The training aimed to enhance the understanding of commitments stemming from resolution 1540, in particular with regarding to the role of National Points of Contact (PoC).

The…

The UNRCPD, in cooperation with the Government of Thailand, held a workshop on building capacity for the implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in Bangkok on 4-5 April 2016.  The workshop brought together government experts in arms transfer controls from ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste as well as representatives from various international institutes, non-governmental organizations, and the United Nations, providing an opportunity for participants to exchange views and share experiences on preparations for the future implementation of the ATT.  With approximately…

As many as 32 representatives from 22 national agencies and departments involved in small arms and light weapons (SALW) control in Thailand met with international experts on 9-10 March 2016 in Bangkok to learn more about and discuss the implementation requirements of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA) and the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).  This workshop was organized by UNRCPD, in cooperation with the Government of Thailand, and made possible with financial support from the…

UNRCPD, in cooperation with the Government of Myanmar, organized a capacity-building workshop on small arms and light weapons (SALW) in Nay Pyi Taw, 23-24 February 2016. The purpose of the workshop was to assist relevant Government ministries and agencies in enhancing national control of SALW in Myanmar and thereby the ability to further implement the provisions of the UN Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons and other international treaties and instruments relevant for the control of these arms. This workshop was funded by the United…

The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), through its Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD), and in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Korea, organized the 14th Republic of Korea-United Nations Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-proliferation Issues, in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on 7-8 December 2015.

An unprecedented number of more than 100 representatives from Governments and intergovernmental organizations as well as…

UNRCPD together with the Government of the Philippines jointly organized a workshop on capacity-building for the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, held in Manila, on 25-26 November 2015.

The goal of this workshop was to assist and enhance the capacity of the national agencies involved in the control of small arms and light weapons (SALW) to effectively implement the UN Programme of Action, which has proven a useful tool to counter the illicit trafficking in SALW.

The project…

UNRCPD, together with the Government of the Maldives, implemented a project to strengthen the national capacity of the Maldives to implement the UN Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (UN PoA) and the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) between August and September 2015. On 29 – 30 September 2015, the final stage of the project took place in Malé, Maldives, in the shape of a summary workshop.

The purpose of the project was to enhance the maritime security of the Maldives by providing its Government with technical and legal assistance…

UNRCPD, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, organized an Inter-Agency Roundtable Discussion on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) which took place in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 9-10 September 2015.

The ATT is the first global legally binding instrument to regulate the international trade in conventional weapons, and entered into force on December 24, 2014. On 24-27 August 2015, the First Conference of States Parties (1CSP) to the ATT took place in Cancun, Mexico. Taking place shortly after the 1CSP, this event provided a unique opportunity for national…

The United Nations Conference on Disarmament Issues has been held annually in Japan since 1989 and is recognized as an important forum for frank dialogue and an exchange of views on pressing security and disarmament-related issues facing the international community. This Conference was organised by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament and financed through voluntary contributions made to the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs by the Government of Japan, and in-kind contributions by Hiroshima Prefecture and Hiroshima City.

The purpose of…

UNRCPD, together with the Government of the Maldives, commenced a project to increase the national capacity of the Maldives to implement the UN Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (PoA) and support the country’s ability to move towards accession to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).

The project is being implemented in three phases during August and September 2015. The first stage took place from 3–6 August 2015, in the form of a consultation visit to Malé, Maldives. During this visit international experts and a UNRCPD representative met with…

UNRCPD, in cooperation with the Government of Bangladesh, organized a workshop in Dhaka on the UN Programme of Action (PoA) and the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The purpose of this workshop was to assist the national ministries and agencies of Bangladesh involved in the control of small arms and light weapons, with a view to enhancing the national capacity to effectively implement the PoA and, in the future, the ATT. Bangladesh became a signatory state to the ATT on 23 September 2013.

The workshop was attended by national representatives and international experts who shared…

The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), through its Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD), and in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Korea, organised the 13th Republic of Korea-United Nations Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-proliferation Issues, on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, on 4-5 December 2014.

Under the theme of “Looking Ahead: Opportunities and Challenges in Disarmament and Non-proliferation”, the…

UNRCPD, together with Nepal’s Ministry of Education Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) and the National Curriculum Education Development Centre (NCED) and UNESCO Nepal, is implementing phase II of the Peace and Disarmament Education (PDE) project on 1 December 2014 – 31 July 2015.

In line with the recommendations of the UN Study on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education (A/57/124), UNRCPD will provide secondary education curriculum planners and textbook writers with practical examples of ways to integrate PDE into the national curriculum for grades 9 and 10 as well as…

UNRCPD together with the Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia organized a Regional Legal Assistance Workshop on the Arms Trade Treaty taking place in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on 18-19 November 2014.   

The purpose of the two-day event was to provide States with legal expertise with a view to facilitate the process of ratification of and accession to the ATT, which enters into force on 24 December 2014. The workshop’s focus was examining treaty commitments and their potential impact for national legislations, identifying challenges and seeking solutions. It was aimed…

Drawing is a powerful creative outlet for children to express their views on what peace means to them, their families and their communities. Launched in 2012, UNRCPD’s annual Art for Peace competition has reached over 1,000 students, and has supported UNRCPD’s Peace and Disarmament Education Programme by allowing students to reflect on the importance of peace in their lives. For many children, this programme is a unique opportunity to be creative and to express…