The Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Symposium, organized annually by DPO, provides a platform for DDR practitioners, national authorities, (sub)regional organizations, and international partners to engage in strategic dialogue, share experiences, and strengthen the collective capacity to respond to evolving conflict dynamics.

The 2025 edition of the Symposium, co-organized by the DPO and IOM will open with a high-level event on Tuesday 28 October 2025 hosted by the Permanent Mission of Germany to welcome participants and set the tone.

You are invited to join us in all our side events:

Regional approaches on DDR

28 October , 14:30 – 15:30

UNHQ S-1519 (15th floor)

Explores how regional coordination and national ownership can work together to strengthen DDR and related programming in the Lake Chad Basin.

 

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

28 October , 14:30 – 15:30

UNHQ S-1521 (15th floor)

People formerly recruited or associated with armed groups often face mental health conditions and psychosocial challenges. To strengthen support in DDR settings, WHO, UNICEF and DPO jointly developed an operational brief entitled "Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support".

 

Armed groups typologies

28 October , 15:30 – 16:30

UNHQ S-1521 (15th floor)

Compared to the conflict of the old day, which were rather symmetrical in opposing armed groups to incumbent powers-that-be, modern conflicts resemble all-against-all struggle of multiple factions of different social, economic and political provenience and ambition.

 

Somalia Lessons on DDR

28 October , 15:30 – 16:30

UNHQ S-1519 (15th floor)

As the DDR mandate of UNTMIS comes to a close on 31 October 2025 and is handed over to the Federal Government of Somalia and the UN Country Team, UNTMIS and IOM will reflect on key achievements, lessons, and challenges and the national Tubsan Center Director of Somalia will provide a future vision for DDR in Somalia.  

 

 

Action Talk: The Role of Women-Led Organizations in DDR and Peacebuilding

28 October , 15:30 – 16:30

UNHQ S-24MM5 (24th floor)

UNDP and the Folke Bernadote Academy (FBA) invite participants to an Action Talk on the role of women-led organisations in shaping gender-responsive DDR.

 

The day will conclude with the Exhibition launch and reception hosted by the Scandinavian House at 58 Park Ave, New York, NY 10016, at 17:00.

Launch of Podcast Series: ‘The Sahel Untold’

31October , 15:00 – 16:00

UNHQ S-1522 (15th floor)

 bicc/AU/DPO will launch a new podcast series reflecting on personal experiences of people from the Sahelto bridge the gap between global policy and local reality.Should you have any questions, please reach out to Mario Nascimento (nascimentom@un.org), copying Chahrazade Housni (chahrazade.housni@un.org).

We look forward to welcoming you to this discussion and to advancing collective commitments to DDR across the peace continuum.