Committee Meetings

  
Date Summary
2 August 2024


The 1540 Committee convened its 104th meeting on 2 August 2024. During the meeting discussions focused on the functioning of the assistance mechanism and included updates from the Group of Experts (GoE) on both ongoing and new requests for assistance. UNODA delivered a report on the Points of Contact training course, which took place in Beijing from 25 to 28 June 2024. The Committee also discussed preliminary topics for its upcoming meeting in September and addressed other relevant matters, including the 1540 Open Briefing, the process of filling vacancies on the GoE, and updates concerning States that have yet to submit their 1540 national reports.

4 June 2024


On 4 June 2024, the 1540 Committee convened its 103rd meeting to discuss issues related to the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), including areas of focus for 2024 and potential activities related to paragraph 12 of resolution 2663 (2022). The Committee discussed the compilation of information on the status of States' implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Additionally, under any other matters, the Committee discussed the upcoming Points of Contact training scheduled for June 2024, and the dates for forthcoming Committee meetings.

2 May 2024


The Committee held its 102nd meeting on 2 May 2024, to discuss and review various topics, including requests for assistance and the progress of matching them with available assistance offers. The Committee discussed the existing list of assistance providers, and explored options for the format and topics of voluntary technical reference guides. Additionally, the Committee conducted a preliminary review of potential topics for the next meeting in June 2024, outlining areas of focus. During the discussion under any other matters, the Committee addressed planned outgoing correspondence and UNODA provided an update to the Committee on the progress of onboarding appointees to the group of experts.

22 March 2024


The 101st Meeting of the 1540 Committee convened on 22 March 2024, providing an update on specific activities related to the 20th anniversary of Resolution 1540 (2004). The discussions also included plans to schedule an open briefing in October 2024. Additionally, there were deliberations on issues related to 1540 Points of Contact, including training courses, aiming to enhance coordination and capacity-building efforts in this area. Lastly, the Committee addressed proposals regarding outreach strategies aimed at States that have not yet presented a first report on steps they have taken or intend to take to implement resolution 1540 (2004).

28 February 2024


The 100th meeting of the 1540 Committee convened on 28 January 2024. The meeting began with discussions regarding plans to mark the twentieth anniversary of the resolution with proposed activities including the open briefings. Deliberations also focused on ways to strengthen procedures for processing assistance requests effectively. The Group of Experts, DPPA and UNODA briefed on their respective roles as part of the support structure of the Committee. Additionally, the Committee discussed issues related to nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons on which the Committee will focus on as outlined under OP 12 of Resolution 2663 (2022).

24 January 2024


The 1540 Committee convened its 99th formal meeting on 24 January 2024 and welcomed the new elected members of the Security Council. The meeting addressed issues related to nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons on which the Committee will focus as outlined under OP 12 of Resolution 2663 (2022). Following this, the Committee turned its attention to the multi-year programme of outreach to Member States, as outlined in S/AC.44/2024/NOTE.6. Subsequent discussions revolved around the format and topics of voluntary technical reference guides, aligning with Resolution 2663 (2022) and S/AC.44/2024/NOTE.5. Additionally, the Committee discussed its 21st Programme of Work and initiated a preliminary review of topics for the upcoming February 2024 session.

28 December 2023


On 28 December 2023, the 1540 Committee held its 98th meeting, covering several agenda items. The meeting commenced with a discussion on the current status of assistance requests and the ongoing efforts to align them with corresponding offers of support. Subsequently, the Committee shifted its focus to the annual review of the implementation status of resolution 1540 (2004), engaging in discussions on the content of the report. Furthermore, the meeting included preliminary planning discussions regarding potential agenda topics for the upcoming session scheduled in January 2024, as well as for the Committee’s 2024 Programme of Work. The Committee also engaged in deliberations regarding the selection of candidates to its Group of Experts.

22 November 2023


On 22 November 2023, the Committee convened its 97th meeting to address the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), focusing on key areas highlighted in paragraph 12 of resolution 2663 (2022). Deliberations encompassed a proposal for new working procedures concerning correspondence with international, regional, and subregional organizations. Additionally, the meeting addressed updates to the 1540 Committee website, aimed at enhancing awareness. The Committee engaged in preliminary discussions on the topics planned for the next meeting in December 2023. The Committee also deliberated on the selection of members for the group of experts. The Chair briefed the Committee on the informal meetings held on November 10, focusing on the expert's selection, and a subsequent informal meeting with incoming Members of the Council on November 15.

3 October 2023


The Committee held informal consultations on 3 October 2023. Committee members engaged in discussions after hearing the presentation from the Secretariat and the Group of Experts on the proposal for the assistance mechanism procedures. The Committee also studied other matters relevant to its work.

23 August 2023


The Committee held its 96th meeting on 23 August 2023. During the meeting, the Committee exchanged views regarding the draft paper concerning assistance mechanism procedures and templates. The purpose of the paper is to offer recommendations for enhancing these procedures and associated templates, aiming to enhance the effectiveness of matchmaking and align with the objectives outlined in the 20th Programme of Work of the Committee. Additionally, Committee members engaged in discussions about the process of updating the list of international and regional organizations currently under consideration.

30 June 2023


On 30 June 2023, the Committee held its 95th meeting. During the meeting the Committee dedicated time to discuss the implementation status of resolution 1540 (2004), in accordance with operative paragraph 12 of resolution 2663 (2022). The meeting also provided an opportunity for the Committee to receive a briefing from its support structure, including the Group of Experts, the Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA). Each entity shared an overview of their respective responsibilities and challenges. Additionally, the Committee allocated time to deliberate on topics for its next meeting related to possible activities to undertake in line with operative paragraph 12 of resolution 2663 (2022). To conclude, the Chair provided an overview of his informal meetings with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Organization of American States/Inter-American Committee against Terrorism and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The informal bilateral meetings were aimed to address collaboration in implementation efforts related to Resolution 1540 (2004).

26 May 2023


The Committee held its 94th meeting on 26 May 2023. The Committee discussed the 1540 assistance mechanism and heard updates from the Coordinator of the 1540 Committee’s Group of Experts, on the progress and challenges on matching of assistance requests and offers and considering possible additional providers. Members of the Committee discussed issues related to 1540 points of contact, including training of PoC’s. The Chair briefed on his participation in the Fifth Special Session of the Conference of the States Parties to Review the Operation of the Chemical Weapons Convention from 15-19 May. The Committee also gave a preliminary review of topics for the next meeting in June in accordance with its Programme of Work for 2023.

18 April 2023


The Committee held its 93rd meeting on 18 April 2023. During the meeting the Committee exchanged ideas on the format and topics of voluntary technical reference guides as mandated in resolution 2663 (2022). Members of the Committee also discussed the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) and possible activities to undertake as provisioned in paragraph 12 of resolution 2663 (2022). The Committee heard updates from the Chair on the nomination process for vacancies within the Group of Experts and deliberated on the internal guidelines on matters regarding the Group of Experts. The Chair and the Coordinator of the Group of Experts briefed the Committee on participation in the workshop on strengthening the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) for IGAD Member States, held from 14-15 March in Nairobi, Kenya.

2 March 2023


The 1540 Committee held its 92nd formal meeting on 2 March 2023. The Committee welcomed the new incoming Chair, Ambassador Hernán Pérez Loose, Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations, and newly incoming Members of the Committee: Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland. Ambassador Loose commended the former Mexican Chair, and previous non-permanent members for their efforts during their tenure on the 1540 Committee. The Committee discussed the adoption of the Committee’s Programme of Work for the period from 1 February 2023 to 31 January 2024. The Committee also discussed the development of a multi-year programme of outreach to Member States, in agreement with the relevant Member States. Upon the request of the Chair, the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, explained the nomination process for vacancies within the Group of Experts. UNODA further reiterated its readiness to continue to provide support to the work of the Committee.

5 July 2022


The Committee held informal consultations on 5 July 2022 and discussed the overall outcomes of the open consultations. Members of the Committee exchanged ideas on how to incorporate various inputs presented at the open consultations and way forward in concluding the on-going comprehensive review. The Committee also heard from the Secretariat and the Group of Experts on the status of assistance requests received. Under any other business, the Committee also discussed different proposals to enhance the Committee’s outreach efforts and elements to be included in the final report of the Comprehensive Review.

31 May – 2 June 2022


The 1540 Committee held an open consultations on the Comprehensive Review of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) as its formal 91st meeting in New York at United Nations Headquarters on 31 May, 1 and 2 June 2022. The open consultations provided Member States an opportunity to inform the Committee of their views on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), in particular to recommend practical ideas for its improvement. International and regional organisations relevant to the implementation of the resolution were also invited, along with selected participants from non-governmental organisations, academia, professional associations and industry.

10 May 2022


The Committee held informal consultations on 10 May 2022 and reviewed the implementation of select paragraphs of resolution 2325 (2016). The Committee heard from the Coordinator of the Group of Experts and discussed each paragraph of the resolution and its implementation status in detail. The Committee further heard a presentation from the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs on its proposal to develop a new online database to assist the work of the Group of Experts updating the 1540 matrix. The Committee will continue discussions in view of the on-going comprehensive review of the status of implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), and the upcoming open consultations scheduled for 31 May – 2 June 2022.

5 April 2022


The Committee held informal consultations on 5 April 2022 and discussed matters related to the implementation of Resolution 1540 (2004), comprehensive review, planned open consultations, and others.

3 February 2022


The Committee held its 90th Meeting on 3 February 2022 at the ECOSOC Chamber of the United Nations Headquarters. The Chairperson took the opportunity to welcome the incoming members of the Committee, Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates. At its 90th meeting, the Committee discussed its analysis of outreach to States and civil society including academia, industry, professional associations and parliamentarians and analysis of the assessment of the use of the Committee’s website through 25 April 2021, in the context of the 2021 comprehensive review. These two papers were led by Working Group 4, on Transparency and Media Outreach, and members of the Committee discussed the contents of the paper and exchanged their views. The Committee also discussed the analysis of the structure in support to the Committee in the context of the 2021 comprehensive review, which discussed different roles played by the current entities designated to support the Committee, namely the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Office for Disarmament Affairs, and the Committee’s Group of Experts. Under Other Matters, the Committee also discussed its plans to conclude the on-going comprehensive review and exchanged views on the upcoming expiration of the Committee’s mandate.

3 September 2021


The Committee held its 89th Meeting on 3 September 2021 in the ECOSOC Chamber of the United Nations Headquarters. The Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, welcomed Ms. Irina Albrecht, a new member of the 1540 Committee’s Group of Experts. Ms. Albrecht began her assignment as an Expert as of 1 September 2021. The Coordinator of the Group of Experts, made introductory remarks on a previously-circulated paper on the analysis of the interaction between the 1540 Committee and international, regional and subregional organizations, UN bodies and 1267 and 1373 Committees during the period 26 April 2016 to 25 April 2021 within the context of the 2021 comprehensive review. Member States expressed their views on the current modality of the Committee’s interaction with various organization and entities and discussed ways to improve its cooperation.

5 August 2021


The Committee held its 88th Meeting on 5 August 2021, in the ECOSOC Chambers of the United Nations Headquarters. The Coordinator of the Committee’s Group of Experts made a presentation on a paper the Group had prepared for the Committee on its assistance mechanism. Following the presentation, Members of the Committee shared their views on the current assistance mechanism and ways to improve it.

15 June 2021


The Committee held its 87th Meeting on 15 June 2021 in the ECOSOC Chamber of the United Nations Headquarters. Following an introduction by the Coordinator of the 1540 Committee Group of Experts, Members of the Committee discussed a document prepared by the Group of Experts containing an analysis of updated matrix data for the 2021 comprehensive review of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004).

18 March 2021


The Committee held a closed Video Teleconference (VTC) on 18 March 2021. Upon invitation of the Committee, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs presented a briefing, for the consideration of the Committee, on the logistical arrangements and possible modalities of the planned open consultations on the status of implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). The Committee further discussed the progress made on the annual programme of work for 2021 and exchanged views on the current practice of approving participation of members of the Group of Experts in outreach activities.

27 January 2021


The Committee held an informal meeting virtually on 27 January 2021. On its first meeting of 2021, the Committee welcomed the newly elected members of the Security Council to the Committee and also welcomed the new Chairperson of the Committee, H.E. Ambassador Juan Ramón de la Fuente Ramírez of Mexico. The Committee discussed the 2021 Programme of Work, led by the United Kingdom in its capacity as the Vice-Chair of the Committee. The Committee also discussed plans for the on-going Comprehensive Review and heard from the Coordinator of the 1540 Committee Group of Experts, on the current progress of the Review and items to be considered by the Committee in planning its next steps.

15 December 2020


The Committee held a closed Video Teleconference (VTC) 15 December 2020. The Committee heard updates from the Coordinator of the 1540 Committee’s Group of Experts on the progress of the comprehensive review activities and conducted an annual review of the Committee’s work in 2020. The Coordinators of the four Working Groups of the Committee provided updates on the progress of work in their respective working groups. The Committee also heard general updates from the Group of Experts, Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.

As the meeting was the final meeting to be held in 2020, Members of the Committee thanked the outgoing Chair of the Committee, H.E. Ambassador Triansyah Djani, for his leadership and hard work as the Committee Chair and also thanked the other outgoing members of the Security Council for their work and cooperation. The Committee Members also expressed welcome to the incoming members of the Security Council who were also present at the meeting as observers.

21 October 2020


The Committee held its 86th Meeting on 21 October 2020 in the ECOSOC Chamber of the United Nations Headquarters. The Committee welcomed newly elected members of the Security Council, who will also join the Committee as of 2021. The Committee heard a briefing from the Coordinator of the 1540 Committee’s Group of Experts, who, on behalf of the Group, updated the Committee on the status of the on-going Comprehensive Review on the status of implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), including the on-going consultations with Member States on updates to the 1540 Matrices. Mr. Brewer further provided a suggested timeline for the Comprehensive Review for the Committee’s consideration. The Committee further heard briefings from its supporting organs of the UN Secretariat: the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs and the UN Department of Political and Peacekeeping Affairs.

16 July 2020


The Committee held an informal meeting on 16 July 2020 and discussed the on-going review of all Member States’ 1540 Matrices. The Coordinator of the 1540 Committee’s Group of Experts, updated the Committee on the status of the process and the remaining steps to finalize the review/update. The Committee also discussed the revised schedule of the Comprehensive Review of the Implementation Status of Resolution 1540 (2004), in consideration of the impact of COVID-19 outbreak. The Committee agreed to continue the discussions and to finalize a revised schedule in the near future.

13 May 2020


The Committee held an informal meeting on 13 May 2020 and discussed current progress on the planned work of the Committee in accordance with its 2020 Programme of Work. The Committee focused on assessing the impact of COVID-19 on its work and ways to mitigate challenges presented by this global pandemic. The Committee further discussed ways to move forward with the on-going comprehensive review on the status of implementation of resolution 1540 including its plans to hold open consultations. The Committee also received updates from the Group of Experts, the Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Security Council Affairs Division of the Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, on their respective support to the Committee.

19 February 2020


The 1540 Committee held its 85th formal meeting on 19 February 2020. The Chair welcomed the new members of the Committee and provided a procedural briefing to Chairs of the Regional Groups on the Comprehensive Review, currently underway, of resolution 1540 (2004). The Committee exchanged views on the activities for 2020, including Open Consultations in June related to the Comprehensive Review.

20 December 2019


The 1540 Committee held a formal meeting on 20 December 2019 to review the progress made during 2019. The Committee received briefings from the four coordinators of the Working Groups (Mr. Enri Prietoo of Peru, Ms. Alexia Jarrot of France, Mr. Antonin Benjamin Bieke of Côte d’Ivoire and Mr. Stephen Knight of the United States of America), the Group of Experts, the Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. The Chair also presented to the Committee the progress being made on the working paper on the Specificity of States and expressed his appreciation for all the inputs he received from Members and Experts. The Chair, on behalf of the Committee, concluded the meeting by expressing his gratitude to members who have reached the end of their terms in the Committee (Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Kuwait, Peru and Poland), and welcomed new Members who will take on their role as of 1 January 2020 (Estonia, Niger, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Tunisia and Viet Nam).

7 October 2019


The Committee held two informal meetings with relevant international, regional and sub-regional organizations on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) and successor resolutions, focusing on challenges and effective practices.

4 October 2019


The Committee held an open consultation with United Nations Member States, International and Regional Organizations on “Specificity of States” on Friday, 4 October 2019. The Chair briefed the participants on the overview of resolution 1540 (2004) with specific reference to the specificity of States, indicated in operative paragraph 11 of resolution 2325 (2016) and exchanged views with participating States and IROs.

21 August 2019


On 21 August 2019, the 1540 Committee held informal consultations and discussed the ongoing update of the national 1540 matrices and the timeline of the 2021 Comprehensive Review. The Committee further heard briefings from UNODA and the DPPA on updates in the offices’ respective areas in support of the activities of the 1540 Committee.

7 June 2018


On 7 June 2018, Chile and Colombia made a public presentation of the results of their peer review to the Security Council Committee pursuant to Resolution 1540 (2004) and different delegations from the GRULAC region.

The Committee promotes the sharing of experiences, lessons learned and effective practices in the areas covered by Resolution 1540 (2004), and especially encourages States to conduct, where appropriate, peer reviews on a voluntary basis as they are an excellent tool to evaluate and reinforce effective national and regional capacities.

[Peer Review Report]

26 July 2017


The Committee held its 77th formal meeting on 26 July 2017 and shared updates on the progress of work of the Committee.

The Chair invited all the Working Group coordinators to update the Committee on the progress made in accordance with the 2017 Programme of Work of the Committee, and further the Coordinator of the Group of Experts to also provide updates on the works of the Group of Experts in the first half of 2017.

The Committee designated Senegal and the United Kingdom, two of the vice-chairs of the Committee, to oversee the preparations of the report to the Security Council on the evaluation of the Special Political Mission supporting the Committee, which was mandated by resolution 2325 (2016).

The Committee further discussed, upon the suggestion of the Russian Federation, the potential development of a template that could be used in the future by the Group of Experts or Committee Members, when making statements on behalf of the Committee in outside meetings.

31 January 2017


The Committee held its 76th formal meeting on 31 January 2017. The committee welcomed the new incoming Chair, Ambassador Sacha Sergio Llorentty Solíz of Bolivia, and newly incoming Members of the Committee: Ethiopia, Italy, Kazakhstan, and Sweden.

The Committee discussed the adoption of the Committee’s Programme of Work for 1 February 2017 – 31 January 2018 which was postponed to a later stage due to pending items which required further consultations. Pending issues included the timeline for an evaluation of the Special Political Mission supporting the Committee, which was mandated by resolution 2325 (2016), and specific methods to discuss evolving proliferation risks in the coming year. As set forth in resolution 2325 (2016), the Programme of Work should be submitted to the Security Council before the end of January 2017.

The Committee also welcomed Japan as the newly appointed Coordinator of the Working Group on Monitoring and National Implementation and listened to briefings on all Working Groups’ past activities and plans for 2017. Mr. Enrique Ochoa, on behalf of the Group of Experts, also briefed the Committee on the activities of the Group and its plans for 2017. Members of the Committee commended the efforts of each Working Group Coordinators and the Group of Experts.

Upon the request of the Russian Federation, the Committee also discussed the procedure for signing contracts for members of the Group of Experts.

19 October 2016


The Committee held an informal meeting on 19 October 2016 and discussed the ongoing process of the Comprehensive Review of the implementation status of UNSCR 1540 (2004). Newly incoming committee members were also invited as observers to the meeting to ensure that they are informed of the on-going process. The committee heard from the Director and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, followed by the 1540 Group of Experts Coordinator, providing detailed explanations on key priority areas in the review.

Following the briefings, an active discussion took place as Experts and ODA provided answers to questions and clarifications, taking note of members’ concerns. Members of the committee expressed appreciation to the work of ODA and the Group of Experts and provided specific feedback on the updated Comprehensive Review draft report and further suggestions to improve the report.

The Committee also discussed ways to move forward with the process. The Chair emphasized the need for an efficient and speedy process, but at the same time noted the need for a thorough and mutually agreed review that can produce productive recommendations for the future. The Committee decided to hold further meetings to discuss and finalise the report of the 2016 Comprehensive Review in the near future.

As set forth in resolution 1977 (2011), the report must be submitted to the Security Council before December 2016.

27 September 2016


The Committee held its 75th formal meeting on 27 September 2016. The Chair, Ambassador Román Oyarzun Marchesi of Spain, commended the efforts of all Committee Members, Group of Experts, and Office for Disarmament Affairs on the ongoing process of the Comprehensive Review of the implementation status of UNSCR 1540 (2004). He noted that substantial progress has been made in the implementation of resolution 1540 over the last 5 years, but additional efforts, such as increased number of annual State Visits and National Round-table meetings, more efficient use of Committee resources, and better support to the Committee’s activities, are needed to achieve full and universal implementation.

Following the Chair’s remarks, members of the Committee provided general remarks on the draft report of the 2016 Comprehensive Review, and provided specific recommendations to strengthen the 1540 framework and keep its activities relevant to growing risks and threats. Committee members expressed their appreciation to the Chair’s leadership and the efforts of all parties involved in the Comprehensive Review process, and pledged to stay engaged in discussions on the specifics of the report.

The working group coordinators and the coordinator of the group of experts also made general remarks updating the Committee on their recent activities, and also plans for the remainder of 2016.

29 March 2016


The Committee held an informal meeting on 29 March 2016 to hear a briefing by the Coordinator of Working Group III on progress made in cooperation between the Committee and intergovernmental organizations and other relevant United Nations bodies.

The representatives of the following six organizations were invited to share their experience in cooperation with the 1540 Committee and its Group of Experts, as well as to provide recommendations for improved cooperation: the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Customs Organization (WCO).

All the representatives stressed the importance of ongoing cooperation and coordination with the Committee and its Group of Experts and made practical proposals for strengthening cooperation with the aim of contributing to the 2016 Comprehensive Review. The Committee expressed appreciation for their collaborations with the Committee in the areas of mutual interest and hoped to explore avenues of further cooperation.

16 March 2016


The Committee held an informal meeting on 16 March 2016 to hear a briefing by Germany on the outcome of the latest Wiesbaden conference, held on 19-20 November 2015.

The annual Wiesbaden conferences are an initiative of the German Government to enhance partnership with industry in implementing Security Council resolution 1540 (2004). The latest Fourth Wiesbaden Conference on 19-20 November 2015 was dedicated to making contributions to the 2016 Comprehensive Review of implementation of resolution 1540.
Germany also informed the Committee of its intention to organize a briefing on the Wiesbaden conferences during a Committee’s open review meeting with Member States in June 2016.

The Committee commended Germany for the leadership role the Government has played in strengthening partnership with industry and looked forward to Germany’s continuing support to the work of the Committee.

29 February 2016


The Committee organized an informal meeting in the form of a seminar on 29 February 2016. The seminar entitled “The Changing Nature of Proliferation Threats” was organized to inform embers of the Committee on issues of evolving proliferation threats. Four speakers were invited to brief on the following three topics: Intangible technology transfers, proliferation financing and robotics.

Professor Gregory Koblentz of George Mason University provided an overview of proliferation threats posed by recent scientific and technological developments, such as gene editing, 3-D printing, UAV technology and cyber threats, while emphasizing that these scientific and technological advancements could also help implement resolution 1540 (2004). Mr. Raphaël Prenat, 1540 Expert, illustrated the scope, trends and new challenges of intangible technology transfers and made specific recommendations on how to tackle them. Professor Leonard Spector of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies provided insights on financing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery means. Mr. Michael Spies from the Office for Disarmament Affairs summarized a recently published “Study on Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Prepared on the Recommendation of the Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters”, highlighting the chapter that discussed the characteristics and technological trends.

Each presentation was followed by questions and lively discussions. The Committee expressed its appreciation to all speakers for their contributions.

9 February 2016


The Committee held an informal meeting on 9 February 2016. Mr. Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary-General of the World Customs Organization (WCO), was invited to update the Committee on progress made in the ongoing cooperation between the Committee and WCO since his last briefing to the Committee on 28 February 2014 and to discuss possible areas for future collaboration and synergies.

Mr. Mikuriya informed that the WCO Policy Commission adopted in December 2015 a resolution on the role of customs in international security. By this resolution, WCO identified high priority areas where customs could contribute to strengthen international security, and in this context, supported a deeper cooperation with relevant inter-governmental organizations. Mr. Mikuriya informed the Committee on the “WCO Strategic Trade Control Enforcement (STCE) project”. He expressed the expectation that in April 2016 the STCE project would be turned into a medium to long-term programme under which the WCO would be able to deliver more concrete technical assistance and training. The briefing was followed by interactive discussions with Committee members and 1540 Experts.

29 January 2016


The Committee held its 68th formal meeting. The 1540 Committee Chair, Ambassador Román Oyarzun Marchesi of Spain, welcomed the new members of the Committee and solicited further support from all members for a successful and timely conclusion of the 2016 Comprehensive Review mandated by Security Council resolution 1977 (2011). The Chair also informed the Committee of the intention of Spain to host an open debate on the result of the 2016 Comprehensive Review during its Presidency in the Security Council in December 2016. In this connection, the Chair expressed hope that the Council would adopt a resolution updating resolution 1540 (2004), which would enable the international community to meet new threats. The Chair further reiterated the importance of achieving the goal of universal reporting by engaging with the remaining seventeen non-reporting States. The Coordinator of each Working Group briefed the Committee on progress made in its respective work plan and planned activities, in particular those geared towards providing timely and valuable contributions to the 2016 Comprehensive Review. The Coordinator and members of the 1540 Group of Experts also reported on their activities. The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs reiterated its readiness to continue to provide support to the work of the Committee. During the meeting, members of the Committee actively exchanged their views on issues falling within the mandate of the Committee.

18 September 2015


The Committee held its 66th formal meeting. The 1540 Committee Chair, Ambassador Román Oyarzun Marchesi of Spain, emphasized his ongoing commitment to work toward the goal of universal reporting and recounted his bilateral consultations with most of the remaining eighteen non-reporting States in that regard. The Chair also expressed his appreciation to the Government of China for hosting the first-ever 1540 Points of Contact training course held for States in the Asia-Pacific region, highlighting the critical role of such courses in forwarding the Committee’s regional approach to 1540 implementation.

Following the Chair’s remarks, the Coordinators of the four Working Groups and the Coordinator of the 1540 Group of Experts briefed the Committee on their respective activities and plans for the coming months.

In a subsequent informal meeting of the 1540 Committee, the Chair of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), Ambassador Roald Næss of Norway, highlighted the connection established by resolution 1540 (2004) between WMD and their means of delivery, and expressed his hope that this first informal meeting between the Committee and MTCR members would foster broader cooperation between the two bodies in their efforts to halt WMD proliferation.

2 September 2015
The Committee held an informal meeting on 2 September 2015. Mr. Martin Chungong, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) was invited to address the Committee. In his remarks, Mr. Chungong underlined the importance of UN Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) in preventing non-State actors from acquiring and using weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. Mr. Chungong informed the Committee about various approaches and activities of the IPU in support of the implementation of the resolution, including the organisation of regional workshops for members of parliament, conduct of surveys and the publication of a handbook with relevant background materials and examples of effective legislation. In late 2015, a regional workshop for parliamentarians in the African Region will be organized by the IPU with funding support provided by UNODA in Algiers. Members of the Committee expressed support for the enhanced cooperation with the IPU.
25 February 2015
The Committee held its 64th formal meeting, the first in 2015 on 25 February. In his introductory remarks, Ambassador Román Oyarzun Marchesi, the 1540 Chair, and Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations, underlined the importance of UN Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) in preventing non-State actors from acquiring and using weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. The Chair outlined the five main objectives during his tenure, which he said included i) concluding the comprehensive review on the status of implementation of resolution 1540 (2004); ii) achieving universality in reporting by States, iii) enhancing the 1540 assistance mechanism; iv) focusing on regions that should be given particular attention; and v) increasing information and outreach of the 1540 Committee. The Coordinators of the four Working Groups, (Implementation-Chile, Assistance-France, Cooperation with IOs-Jordan, Transparency and outreach-US) briefed the Committee on their respective activities and plans for the coming months. The coordinator of the group of experts informed the Committee about the status of the revision of the matrices and past and upcoming events.
Members of the Committee discussed the Comprehensive Review process, in particular its final outcome and how to go about it. It was decided to hold an informal meeting soon dedicated to a discussion of the conduct of the Comprehensive Review.
11 December 2014
The Committee held its 63st formal meeting. In his introductory remarks, Ambassador Oh Joon, the 1540 Committee Chairman and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, noted that he had participated in the third “Wiesbaden” conference (“Non-Proliferation Risks: Governance and Compliance Management – Dialogue with Industry In Support of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004)” held in November in Germany).He expressed hope that the “Wiesbaden process” will build on the success of this year’s conference to continue providing a solid platform for outreach to industry. As this was the last formal meeting of the Committee in 2014 under his Chairmanship, Ambassador Oh Joon offered a few reflections on the work done for the last two years. The Chairman stated that substantial efforts toward the goal of “universal reporting” had been made, which would serve as a solid basis for further progress in the coming years. He also noted that the Committee and the Group of Experts had conducted an impressive number of outreach activities, a particularly encouraging trend being the increase in the Committee’s visits to States at their invitation. The Chairman also highlighted the engagement with civil society, including academia, industry and parliamentarians as another important element in the Committee’s outreach over the past two years. He also stressed that the Security Council Open Debate and the adoption of the Presidential Statement in May, as well as a series of other special events dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1540 in 2004, provided strong impetus to the Committee’s future work.

In their statements during the meeting, Committee’s Members expressed appreciation to Ambassador Oh Joon for his leadership as the Chairman of the 1540 Committee. At the meeting, the Coordinators of the four Working Groups provided briefings on their respective activities since the last meeting of the Committee. The coordinator of the group of experts reported its activities since the last meeting of the Committee and plans for the future.
3 November 2014
The Committee held its 62nd formal meeting. In his introductory remarks, Ambassador Oh Joon, the 1540 Committee Chairman and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, outlined key activities of the Committee since its last meeting, including his visit to the People’s Republic of China, at its invitation, to discuss the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) on 23-24 October and his participation in the Regional Workshop on Promoting Full Implementation of Resolution 1540 (2004), held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on 27-28 October. Representatives of Canada and the United Kingdom briefed the Committee on the Legislative Guide for the National Implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) which had been developed by the non-governmental organization “Verification Research, Training and Information Centre” (VERTIC) with financial support from their governments. The Committee appointed Mr Omar Ababneh from Jordan as the Coordinator of its Working Group on Cooperation with international organizations, including the Security Council Committees established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999) and 1373 (2001). The Coordinators of the four Working Groups provided briefings on their respective activities and plans for the future. The coordinator of the group of experts reported its activities since the last meeting of the Committee.
4 August 2014
The Committee held its 61st formal meeting. In his remarks, Ambassador Oh Joon, the 1540 Committee Chairman and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, announced that the Republic of Korea will be hosting a 1540 regional workshop in Seoul on 27-28 October 2014. He also confirmed that the Republic of Korea has contributed one million US dollars to the UN Trust Fund for the implementation of resolution 1540. For the end of 2014, the Chair will focus on making progress in the following areas: (1) Encourage and assist all remaining States to submit their implementation reports as soon as possible; (2) Make the Committee’s assistance mechanism more proactive; (3) Improve coordination and cooperation with other relevant Committees, as well as International and Regional Organizations; (4) Review all revised national matrices; (5) Compile effective practices, and; (6) Expand the network of 1540 Points of Contact. The Coordinators of the four Working Groups provided briefings on their respective activities and plans for the future. The acting coordinator of the group of experts reported its activities since the last meeting of the Committee. The group continues to work on the compilation of effective practices. He noted that the experts would need more inputs from Member States about their effective practices.
9 June 2014
The Committee held its 60th formal meeting. In his opening remarks, Ambassador Oh Joon, the 1540 Committee Chairman and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, described the successful open debate of the Security Council held on 7 May and the Presidential Statement adopted. The debate had more than 60 speakers and consolidated the international commitment towards UNSC resolution 1540 (2004). He thanked the Secretary-General for his video-message marking the resolution’s 10th anniversary, which was widely picked-up by the media. The Chairman also mentioned that he wishes to make progress on the development of a strategy towards full implementation of resolution 1540 with a view to incorporating it in the upcoming Comprehensive Review of 2016. The Coordinators of the four Working Groups provided briefings on their respective activities and plans for the future. The Coordinator of the group of experts reported on the group's work since the last meeting of the Committee. He noted that 17 out of the 21 non-reporting States have been engaged by the 1540 experts during the three workshops organized by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa.
30 January 2014
The Committee held its 59th formal meeting. In his opening remarks, Ambassador Oh Joon, the 1540 Committee Chairman and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, highlighted specific opportunities to promote the full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) offered by the 10th anniversary of its adoption in 2004. The Chairman also stressed the need to continue efforts to achieve universal reporting and to enhancing the Committee’s role in facilitating assistance. The Committee received briefings by the Coordinators of its four Working Groups on the activities of respective Working Groups and plans for the future. The Committee discussed a non-paper on ways to commemorate the 10th anniversary prepared by the Coordinator of the Transparency and Outreach Working Group. The Coordinator of the group of experts reported on the group's work since the last meeting of the Committee. The Committee appointed Ms. Pia Poroli from Argentina and Ms. Sophie Nzeyimana from Rwanda as Coordinators for the Monitoring and National Implementation Working Group and Cooperation with International Organizations Working Group.
18 December 2013
The Committee held its 58th formal meeting. In his opening remarks, Ambassador Oh Joon, the 1540 Committee Chairman and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, identified key areas in the Committee’s work for the next year, including the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1540 (2004); universal reporting under the resolution; and enhancing the Committee’s assistance mechanism. The Chairman also provided a briefing on his participation at the African Union Workshop on the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004), 10-11 December 2013, Addis Ababa. The Committee received briefings by the Coordinators of its four Working Groups on the activities of respective Working Groups and plans for the future. The Coordinator of the Working Group on transparency and media outreach (representative of the United States) briefed on his participation, on behalf of the Committee, at the Biological Weapons Convention Meeting of States Parties on December 9-13 in Geneva. The Coordinator of the group of experts reported on the group's work since the last meeting of the Committee. The Russian Federation raised an issue in reference to Security Council resolution 2118 (2013).
8 November 2013
The Committee held its 57th formal meeting. In his opening remarks, Ambassador Oh Joon, the 1540 Committee Chairman and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations, underscored the importance of resolution 1540 (2004) and recalled that in its resolution 2118 (2013) the Security Council decided, inter alia, that Member States shall inform immediately the Council of any violation of resolution 1540 (2004). (Ambassador Oh Joon was elected as Chair of the 1540 Committee by the Security Council on 24 September 2013). In his statement, the Committee's Chair outlined the key activities since the last Committee's meeting and noted the importance of continuing with the work related to the universal reporting initiative. He emphasized that the Committee will also focus on strengthening the 1540 assistance matchmaking system to be more operational and responsive to requests by Member States. The Committee received briefings by the Coordinators of the Working Groups on the activities of respective Working Groups and plans for the future. The Coordinator of the group of experts reported on the group's work.
12 August 2013
The Committee held its 56th formal meeting. The Deputy Permanent Representative of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations, Ambassador Eden Charles briefed the Committee on the visit of the 1540 Committee to Trinidad and Tobago which took place on 17-19 April 2013. The Committee's Chair who led the Committee’s delegation during the visit noted the firm commitment from the highest authorities in Trinidad and Tobago to continue to take necessary measures to fully implement resolution 1540 (2004) and the positive role of CARICOM in promoting the 1540 implementation in the region. In his statement, the Committee’s Chair outlined the key activities since the last Committee's meeting. The Chairman suggested to hold, in October, an open briefing for Member States to provide update on the activities of the 1540 Committee. Members of the Committee welcomed his proposal. The Committee received briefings by the Coordinators of the Working Groups on the activities of respective Working Groups and plans for the future. The Coordinator of the group of experts reported on the group's work.
12 June 2013
The Committee held its 55th formal meeting. In his opening statement, the Committee's Chair outlined key activities since the last Committee's meeting including his meeting with the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Ms. Angela Kane on 11 June 2013. The Committee decided to invite the Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the UN to its next meeting for a briefing on the visit by the 1540 Committee to Trinidad and Tobago. The Committee also received briefings by the Coordinators of the Working Groups on the activities of respective Working Groups and plans for the future. The Coordinator of the group of experts reported on the group's work. At the meeting, the Committee also discussed issues related to its Twelfth Programme of Work which had been submitted to the Security Council on 31 May 2013.
20 February 2013
The Committee held its 54th formal meeting. In his opening statement, the Committee's Chair outlined some key activities since the last Committee's meeting and presented a number of proposals for future activities. He noted that the Committee had made some good progress and highlighted a novel initiative resulting in posting the Chair's message on the 1540 Committee's website. The Committee received briefings by the Coordinators of the Working Groups and the Coordinator of the group of 1540 experts reported on the group's work.
23 January 2013
The Committee held its 53rd formal meeting. Ambassador Kim Sook, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations and 1540 Committee Chairman, thanked his predecessor Ambassador Baso Sangqu of South Africa for his important work and progress achieved on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) during his two-year tenure as Chairman of the 1540 Committee. Ambassador Kim announced that the year of 2014 will be the “Year of Universality”, which refers to the universality of the submissions of first reports by States on the steps they have taken or intend to take to implement resolution 1540 (2004). Guatemala was nominated as the Coordinator of the Working Group on Monitoring and National implementation and Morocco was nominated as the Coordinator of the Working Group on Cooperation with international organizations, including the Security Council committees established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1373 (2001). The Committee was briefed by the Coordinators of the Working Groups and the Coordinator of the group of experts reported on their work.
19 December 2012
The Committee held its 52nd formal meeting. The Committee was briefed by the Coordinators of the Working Groups and the 1540 experts reported on their work. The delegation of India reported back to the Committee on the results of the "1540 Workshop on Building New Synergies on Nuclear Security", organized by its Government in cooperation with the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, held in Delhi from 30 November - 1 December 2012, which was attended by the Chairman and a 1540 expert. As the outgoing Chair of the 1540 Committee, South Africa expressed its appreciation to the Committee members and the experts for their work and support during its chairmanship. For the full statement please see: Final Statement of the South African Chair to the 1540 Committee.
14 September 2012
The Committee held its 51st formal meeting. The 1540 Committee Chairman summarized the Committee’s activities since the last meeting. The Chairman briefed the Committee on his participation in a meeting of the Global Partnership Working Group (GPWG), organized by the United States under its presidency of the GPWG. The meeting was held in Stockholm, Sweden on 28-29 August 2012. The Committee received briefings from the coordinators of the Working Groups and the 1540 Experts reported on their activities.
16 August 2012
The Committee held its 50th formal meeting. The 1540 Committee Chairman gave introductory remarks summarizing recent activities of the Committee. The coordinators of the Committee’s Working Groups followed with briefings on the work and consultations of their respective groups. South Africa announced that it would host a Workshop on the implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) for African States, in collaboration with the African Union, supported by the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs and with the facilitation of the Institute for Security Studies on 21-22 November 2012 in Pretoria, South Africa. The 1540 Committee Experts reported on their work.
14 June 2012
The 1540 Committee held its 49th formal meeting. The Committee was briefed by the Coordinators of the Working Groups. The Coordinator of the Working Group on Monitoring and National Implementation introduced to the Committee the Summary Report on the Conference of International, Regional, and Sub-Regional Industry Associations on Security Council Resolution 1540, which was held from 23-25 April 2012 in Wiesbaden, Germany. He welcomed the Conference as an innovative, useful and forward-looking event and also highlighted Germany’s readiness to actively contribute to a substantial follow-up process to this Industry Conference. The UNODA representative provided examples of follow-up activities of the participants of the Conference, which included invitations addressed to the Committee and UNODA to participate in events organized by the participating industry associations from the financing and biological sectors. Afterwards, the 1540 Experts reported on their work.
25 April 2012
The 1540 Committee held its 48th formal meeting. The 1540 Committee Chairman gave introductory remarks summarizing the Committee’s recent activities. The Chairman welcomed Togo as the newly appointed Coordinator of the Working Group on cooperation with international organizations. This was followed by a briefing by the Coordinator of the Committee’s Working Groups on Transparency and Outreach. The 1540 experts reported on their work.
24 February 2012
The 1540 Committee held its 47th formal meeting. Following remarks by the 1540 Committee Chairman, the Committee was briefed by the Coordinators of the Working Groups. Afterwards, the 1540 Experts reported on their work.
21 December 2011
The 1540 Committee held its 46th formal meeting. The 1540 Committee Chairman gave introductory remarks summarizing the Committee’s activities since the last meeting, followed by a briefing by the Coordinators of the Committee’s Working Groups on Monitoring and National Implementation, on Assistance, and on Transparency and Outreach. The coordinator of the 1540 Experts reported on their work since the last meeting, including, inter alia, an update on outreach and assistance facilitation activities, as well as other support provided to the working groups of the Committee, as relevant.
21 November 2011
The 1540 Committee held its 45th formal meeting. Following remarks by the 1540 Committee Chairman, the Committee heard a briefing by Ms. Nineta Barbulescu (Romania), Chairperson of the Hague Code of Conduct Against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCoC), on ways to increase the cooperation between HCoC and the Committee. Next, the Committee was briefed by the Coordinators of the Working Groups. Afterwards, the 1540 Experts reported on their work.
27 October 2011
The 1540 Committee held its 44th formal meeting. The 1540 Committee Chairman gave introductory remarks summarizing recent activities of the Committee. Representatives of the coordinators of the Committee’s Working Group on Monitoring and National Implementation and the Working Group on Assistance provided briefings on the work of their respective groups. The 1540 Experts briefed the Committee on their activities since the last meeting of the Committee. A representative of South Africa provided a briefing on the 1540 Committee’s country visit to the United States (12-16 September 2011).

A representative of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) informed the Committee that UNODA and the Conflict Prevention Centre of the Secretariat of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on joint implementation of projects on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
4 August 2011
The 1540 Committee held its 43rd formal meeting. The 1540 Committee Chairman gave introductory remarks summarizing the Committee’s activities since the last meeting. The coordinators of the Committee’s Working Groups followed with briefings on the work and consultations of their respective groups. The coordinator of the 1540 Experts provided a report on activities since the last meeting, including, inter alia, technical assistance and outreach.
11 May 2011
The 1540 Committee held its 42nd formal meeting. The 1540 Committee Chairman gave introductory remarks, including, inter alia, recognition of United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1977 (2011)as a solid framework for future work. Additional matters were brought forth by the Chairman and discussed, including, inter alia, the drafting of the annual program of work and the facilitation of new requirements outlined in UNSCR 1977. The 1540 Experts reported on their work in support of the Committee in the areas of implementation, assistance, cooperation, and outreach and transparency.
31 March 2011
The 1540 Committee held its 41st formal meeting. The 1540 Committee Chairman summarized the Committee’s activities since the last meeting. The Committee received briefings from the coordinators of the Working Group on Transparency and Outreach and the Working Group on Assistance on their activities. The 1540 Experts provided a report on their activities. The Deputy Permanent Representative of the U.S. announced her Government’s intention to make a $3 million voluntary contribution in 2011 to the United Nations Trust Fund for Global and Regional Disarmament to support the work of the 1540 Committee. A representative of France informed the Committee that France had recently adopted a new law aimed at curbing the proliferation of WMD and their means of delivery. At the meeting, the Committee appointed Germany as the coordinator of the Working Group on Monitoring and National Implementation and South Africa as interim coordinator of the Working Group on Cooperation with International Organizations, including Security Council Committees established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999)and resolution 1373 (2001).
17 January 2011
The 1540 Committee held its 40th formal meeting. The 1540 Committee Chairman outlined his vision for the work of the Committee in 2011. The Committee received briefings from the coordinators of the Committee’s Working Group on Transparency and Outreach and the 1540 Working Group on Assistance regarding activities of their respective Working Groups. The Committee heard the report of the 1540 Experts on their activities. At the meeting, the Committee decided to extend its ninth program of work until 25 April 2011 (S/2011/37).

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