Disarmament

Progress in nuclear disarmament was not reflected in the work of key United Nations disarmament bodies— the Disarmament Commission, the Conference on Disarmament and the General Assembly’s First Committee. The Conference on Disarmament was unable to commence substantive negotiations based on an agreed programme of work, while the Disarmament Commission ended a third consecutive threeyear cycle without agreement on matters of substance. Nevertheless, 2014 was also a year of highlights. The Arms Trade Treaty entered into force on 24 December, marking the opening of a new chapter in collective efforts to bring responsibility, accountability and transparency to the global arms trade. Another significant achievement was the removal and destruction of the Syrian Arab Republic’s declared chemical-weapon stockpile under the auspices of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-United Nations Joint Mission for the Elimination of the Chemical Weapons Programme of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions