Press Releases

2009

November
- 6 United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa holds Ministerial Meeting, N’djamena, Chad, 9 to 13 November

October

30 The Disarmament Committee today recommended that the General Assembly convene a United Nations conference on an arms trade treaty in 2012

27	13 draft texts approved today by the Disarmament Committee, as it began taking action on the more than 50 draft resolutions and decisions before it

26	Secretary-General Urges ‘Transformational Change’ to End Extreme Poverty, Tackle Climate Change, Banish Nuclear Weapons, Ensure Peace, Security, Human Rights (26 October 2009)

23	Barriers Blocking Disarmament Negotiations Beginning to Yield, First Committee Told, Examining Strength of Disarmament Machinery Following Years of Paralysis (23 October 2009)

22	Robust Regional Action, Combined with Strict Compliance with Arms Control Accords, Contains Arms Races, First Committee Told during Debate on Regional Disarmament (22 October 2009)

16 Chemical Weapons ban took a century to enact, but ‘Living Example’ of success in field taking up weapons of mass destruction debate

14	Proposal for International Day to Rid World of Nuclear Weapons Submitted in First Committee, with Traditional Text on Nuclear-Weapon-Free Southern Hemisphere

13	Efforts to Stem Spread of Violence, Armed Conflict Finds Diverse Allies, Boosting Chances of Achieving Disarmament Goals, Disarmament Chief tells First Committee

9	New Winds Blowing through the Halls of Disarmament, but Real Menace -- Small Arms, Light Weapons -- Destabilizing Societies Everywhere, First Committee told

8	Exploiting renewed focus on nuclear disarmament requires political will, reversal of past policies, understanding new dynamics among nations, First Committee told

7 For first time in years, notion of Nuclear-Weapon-Free World supported by leaders of all major industrialized countries
5 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's statement to the Geneva Lecture: Resetting the nuclear disarmament agenda, Geneva, Switzerland
1 2009 United Nations Disarmament Fellowship Programme starts third segment today at New York Headquarters
1 United Nations Headquarters to host special event on Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004)

September

30	Review opens of implementation of Security Council resolution 1540, compelling states to criminalize spread of mass destruction weapons to non-state actors

30 Press conference by High Representative for Disarmament Affairs

24	Secretary-General welcomes Resolution adopted at ‘Historic’ Security Council Summit, says new chapter opened in Council efforts to address Nuclear Disarmament

14	DPI/NGO Conference Calls on Governments, International Organizations to Create Effective Arms Trade Treaty, Nuclear-Weapon-Free World (NGO/682-PI/1910)

14	People-Centred Development and National Reconciliation Key to Human Security, Speakers Say as DPI/NGO Conference Round Tables Continue (NGO/681-PI/1909)

11	Millennium Development Goals, Not Military Spending, Must Be at Heart of National Security, Speakers Tell DPI/NGO Conference Round Table (NGO/680-PI/1908)

10	Disarmament Must Be Verifiable, Transparent, with Basis in International Law, Speakers Stress as DPI/NGO Conference Holds Round-Table Discussion (NGO/678-PI/1906)

4 Press Conference on Mexico City DPI/NGO "For Peace and Development: Disarm Now" Conference, 9-11 September

April

30	The United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa will hold its twenty-eighth ministerial meeting in Libreville, Gabon, from 4 to 8 May

30	The Preparatory Committee for the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will hold its third session from 4 to 15 May at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

1	Exhibit opens 3 April to mark mine awareness and assistance in Mine Action Day with focus on victims, survivors, celebration of steps to rid world of threat

March

February

27 February - Secretary-General calls for recommitment to ridding world of anti-personnel mines, assisting survivors, 10 years after Mine-Ban Convention’s entry into force

24 February - The Conference on Disarmament decides to exceptionally hold a public plenary meeting on Saturday, 7 March to hear address by Russian Foreign Minister

13 February - A group of governmental experts will hold its first week-long meeting in Geneva starting Monday, to review the continuing operation of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms and its further development

12 February - Conference on Disarmament hears statements on nuclear disarmament and outer space

5 February - Conference on Disarmament heard two statements from Malaysia, calling to move forward towards substantive work, and the United Kingdom, addressing the issue of nuclear disarmament.

3 February - The Foreign Minister of Bangladesh addressed Conference on Disarmament, said that it was estimated that the world spent a staggering $ 1.4 trillion in 2007 on armament

January

20 January - New York - Secretary-General's message to the Conference on Disarmament [Delivered by Sergei Ordzhonikidze, Director-General, UN Office at Geneva, and Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament]

15 January - The Conference on Disarmament will hold the first public plenary of its 2009 session on Tuesday, 20 January at the Palais des Nations in Geneva

13 January - Nuclear-weapon-free zone mousepads and postcards depict spread of zones since 1967

2008

December

16 December - United Nations regional seminar on promoting universality of convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, Protocols, to open in Kathmandu

4 December - Press Conference by Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security institutions on Convention on Cluster Munitions

November

21 November - United Nations workshop on implementing Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) to be held in São Paulo, Brazil, 24-28 November

19 November - Security Council stresses concern at increasing global military expenditures, urges states to devote ‘as many resources as possible’ to development

19 November - Secretary-General's message to Security Council Thematic Debate on Strengthening Collective Security through General Regulation and Reduction of Armaments [Delivered by Sergio Duarte, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs

17 November - United Nations Regional Seminar on Promoting Universality of Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons to Be Held in Rabat, 19-20 November

14 November - Secretary-General Appoints Theresa A. Hitchens of United States Director of United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research

13 November - Secretary-General urges high contracting parties to Certain Conventional Weapons Convention to remain guided by humanitarian principles underpinning Treaty

12 November -The Committee has continued to rely on outreach activities to encourage and promote full implementation of resolution 1540

12 November - Secretary-General, addressing High Contracting Parties, underscores importance of making amended protocol to Certain Conventional Weapons Treaty universal

10 November - CCW Protocol V States Parties to further enhance implementation mechanism at Second Conference

October

31 October - Group of Experts of high contracting parties to Convention on Prohibition of Certain Conventional Weapons to meet from 3 to 7 November

31 October - First Committe asks General Assembly to encourage states to ensure ironclad internal controls to prevent diversion of legal weapons to illicit markets

30 October - Staunching uncontrolled spread of illicit weapons is thrust of 1 of 20 drafts approved in First Committee, as voting continues on broad range of measures

29 October - Seeking to reduce nuclear danger, GA would call forurgent steps to reduce risk of accidental use of nuclear weapons, by First Committee text

27 October - Canada ask First Committee to imagine 'utopian' picture of Disarmament Machinery ; urges alternative solutions where progress in traditional machinery has stagnated

24 October - Press conference on new initiative to break logjam on disarmament, non-proliferation

24 October - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon address to the East-West Institute entitled "The United Nations and security in a nuclear-weapon-free world", New York

22 October - 'bold’ action, global solidarity needed to secure common good for all in time of ‘intense crises’, Secretary-General tells Harvard School of Government

16 October - Circumstances did not currently exist for UK to unilaterally renounce nuclear weapons, First Committee told, as debate on nuclear weapons concludes

14 October - New nuclear weapons, irrational doctrines justifying their use, Non-Proliferation Treaty non-compliance block nuclear disarmament, Iran tells First Committee (GA/DIS/3366)

13 October -The Secretary-General welcomes the agreement between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on denuclearization verification measures

September

29 September - Short of funds and resources, UN nuclear agency at crossroads, warns chief

29 September - International Atomic Energy Agency’s nuclear safety standards serve environment, humanity, says Secretary-General in message, calling for universal adherence

24 September - Ministers calls upon remaining nine countries to clear way for Nucler-Test-Ban Treaty
Press release | Joint Statement | Press Conference

24 September - Secretary-General's Remarks to the Fourth Biennal Ministerial Meeting in support of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
Full statement | Article

24 September - Secretary-General, addressing Ministerial Disarmament meeting, rejects pessimistic view of Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty’s entry into force
Press Release

19 September -Kazakhstan to host United Nations Regional Seminar on Promoting Universality of Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons in Central Asia

11 September - UN agency predicts continued expansion of nuclear power in coming decades

August

25 August - Twentieth United Nations Conference on Disarmament issues to open in Saitama, Japan, on 27 August
Press Release | Opening Remarks by the Director of the Office for Disarmament Affairs, United Nations

25 August - 2008 United Nations Programme of Fellowships on Disarmament starts in Geneva

18 August - Security Council’s ‘1540’ Committee raises awareness of possible link between mass destruction weapons (WMD), non-state actors; says grave threat needs urgent attention
Related stories:
SC/9425-DC/3129 | G/SM/11751-DC/3128

18 August - Progress has been done, but more needs to be done to implement Resolution 1540 in full, UNSC 1540 Committee concludes
SC/9425-DC/3129

18 August - Secretary-General, in message, says activities of United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament in Asia, Pacific (UN-RCPD), as vast, diverse as Region itself
SG/SM/11751-DC/3128

15 August - United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and Pacific relocates to Kathmandu, Nepal
15 August - Seven Coordinators on Agenda Items of Conference on Disarmament report to the Conference
14 August - Biological Experts to meet in Geneva from 18 to 22 August
6 August - Secretary-General’s message to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony
SG/SM/11733-DC/3126

The UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs has appointed Jacqueline Seck Diouf as the acting Director of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC).

4 August - Secretary-General urges greater political support for Conference on Disarmament to forestall upgrading of nuclear weapons, expansion of existing arsenals
SG/SM/11728-DC/3125

July

18 July - Biennial Meeting of States on Small Arms adopts draft report by recorded vote; Delegation objects to ‘Way Ahead’ section, ‘take it or leave it’ approach
GA/DC/3124

17 July - Talks conclude on Marking, Tracing Illegal Small Arms, Light Weapons, as Biennial Meeting of States seeks to strengthen politically-binding global instrument
GA/DC/3123

16 July - Speakers underscore importance of ‘real aid’ for countries afflicted by arms smuggling as Biennial Meeting of States on Small Arms reaches halfway point
GA/DC/3122

16 July - Ban lauds further progress towards denuclearization of Korean peninsula

Emmamuel Jal former child soldier, rapper for peace

15 July -Strong link between child soldiers and small arms trade, UN experts say

15 July - Risks linked to surplus weapons stockpiles, illicit arms brokering examined as Biennial Meeting of States on Small Arms continues
GA/DC/3121

14 July - Universal action needed to halt illegal proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons, says Secretary-General as he opens meeting of states parties

14 July - Secretary-General cites ‘considerable progress’ implementing action programme on Small arms, outlines challenges, in message to headquarters meeting

14 July - Secretary-General emphasizes independence of International Criminal Court, as prosecutor requests arrest warrant for sudan’s president
The Secretary-General emphasizes that the Court is an independent institutionand that the United Nations must respect the independence of the judicial process. The United Nations peacekeeping operations in Sudan will continue to conduct their important work in an impartial manner, cooperating in good faith with all partners so as to further the goal of peace and stability in the country. The United Nations will also continue its vital humanitarian and development work there. The Secretary-General expects that the Government of Sudan will continue to cooperate fully with the United Nations in Sudan, while fulfilling its obligation to ensure the safety and security of all United Nations personnel and property.

June

30 June - Universality of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty remains priority, stresses Secretary-General in marking fortieth opening-for-signature anniversary

May

31 May - UN refugee agency welcomes adoption of pact to ban cluster bombs.
30 May - Secretary-General welcomes adoption of Convention on Cluster Munitions
SG/SM/11604 - DC/3115 - L/T/4415
29 May - UN envoy to visit Sahel to draw attention to regional challenges
19 May - Secretary-General Ban issues call to eliminate scourge of cluster munitions

15 May - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message to the twenty-seventh ministerial meeting of the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa
SG/SM/11571 - AFR/1697

7 May - U. N. Regional Disarmament Centre to be relocated to Nepal
More | Press

April

30 April - Small arms thwart stability and development, Security Council told

30 April - Threat posed to international peace by uncontrolled trade in small arms cannot be overemphasized, Security Council told as it holds day-long debate on issue
SC/9316

29 April - Secretary-General, in Remembrance Day message, says adherence to convention is genuine way to honour all victims of chemical warfare
25 April - "Preparatory Committee for 2010 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference to Meet in Geneva, 28 April - 9 May"

25 April - Security Council extends ‘1540 committee’ for three years to halt proliferation of mass destruction weapons, encourages States to map out implementation plans

24 April - Disarmament Commission concludes session, three-year cycle of deliberations without agreement on nuclear disarmament/conventional weapons issues

23 April - Ban Ki-moon urges countries to enhance sharing of data on small arms

LOMÉ 22 April - United Nations two-day workshop on implementation of international small arms marking, tracing instrument held in Lome, 17-18 April

New York 16 April - Security Council expresses determination to strengthen Peace and Security partnership with African union, following day-long high-level debate, endorses proposal to examine funding for peacekeeping by regional organizations; Secretary-General: United Nations relationship with African Union ‘strong and broad’
SC/9301