Disarmament
Creative and cooperative diplomacy at work – the forward-leaning drive of the advisory board on disarmament matters
As I reflect on my time on the ABDM, which I joined in January 2022, two words immediately spring to mind: diplomacy and collegiality.
Parliamentary diplomacy
Although its beginnings date back to the nineteenth century, parliamentary diplomacy is still in its infancy in academia and the study of international relations.
The history of parliamentary networks and subjects covered
The aim of this chapter is to provide a definition of parliamentary networks based on a review of the existing literature, to give a historical account of the emergence of the first networks and to analyze how they have multiplied over time. It will also consider the parliamentary networks that exist today and propose a tentative classification of them. It will also briefly describe how their members are elected, their main sources of funding and the main issues they deal with.
The advisory board as an instigator for change – from supporting disarmament education to promoting youth voices and global awareness about the dangers of nuclear weapons
In February 2011, then-Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon opened the fifty-fifth meeting of the Board by acknowledging that my city of Christchurch, in New Zealand, had suffered a devastating earthquake overnight and asking me to convey his heartfelt condolences to our citizens. All members took the opportunity to share their sympathies. In my emotional response, I challenged us all to think about what the horrific health and environmental effects would have been if a nuclear weapon had been used, or if a nuclear power plant had been attacked or damaged by a tsunami following a large quake. Seventeen days later, a quake-induced tsunami severely damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. What I take away from these events is that we simply cannot risk continuing to co-exist with nuclear weapons. For all our sakes, our future, our planet, we must eliminate them. It takes but one miscalculation or accident for catastrophic consequences to be unleashed. Nuclear power plants are also vulnerable and can provide fissile material for nuclear weapons.
A case study of the arms trade treaty
The United Nations disarmament and arms control architecture, the traditional multilateral negotiating arena for these issues, was paralyzed for decades. As a result, the advances that were made, such as the Anti- Personnel Mine Ban Convention (1998) and the Convention on Cluster Munitions (2008) were negotiated outside this space (even though the depositary of the Treaty is the United Nations Secretary-General).
Conclusions and proposals
The importance of parliamentarians’ involvement in foreign policy issues and, in particular, in arms control and disarmament is unquestionable. Parliamentarians democratize diplomacy, ensure plurality and add value by participating in international forums.
The nature of firearms trafficking
This chapter analyses the nature of firearms trafficking, starting by considering the prices paid for firearms in illicit markets around the world. The illicit nature of firearms markets makes prices generally higher than for firearms bought regularly, although there are some exceptions for some types of firearms in certain geographical locations where the licit markets compete with lower prices in the illegal market.
From seizures to trafficking
This chapter delves deeper into seizure-related data, analysing the legal justifications employed for firearms seizures and the broader criminal context in which seizures take place. Data on the legal justification used by law enforcement authorities to seize firearms and the subsequent criminal context that emerges from the investigation suggest that the great majority of firearms are first stopped on the ground of illegal possession but trafficking is frequently recorded at a later stage, as the criminal context in which seizures took place.
Acknowledgements
The Global Study on Firearms Trafficking was prepared by the UNODC Crime Research Section, under the supervision of Jean-Luc Lemahieu, Director of the Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs, and Angela Me, Chief of the Research and Trend Analysis Branch. The UNODC Global Firearms Programme participated by providing substantive input and advice under the supervision of John Brandolino, Director of the Division for Treaty Affairs, and Loide Ayree, Chief of the Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch.
The primary evidence base: Overview of seizures
This first chapter provides an overview of the available data on firearms seizures across the world, focusing particularly on the magnitude and location of seizures, as well as the types of firearms that are most frequently seized. It also analyses the typical sizes of seizure events according to type of firearm.
The current case of autonomous weapons
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) understands autonomous weapons systems to be those that select and apply force without any human intervention.
Abstract
This paper examines the key role of parliamentary diplomacy in foreign affairs, focusing specifically on its influence in the field of disarmament. It analyses the impact parliamentarians can have on these issues, identifying a number of good practices and effective strategies. In addition, it offers specific policy recommendations and highlights resources available to strengthen the capacity of parliaments and other stakeholders to enhance and expand their influence in promoting effective disarmament agreements at the international level.
About the advisory board on disarmament matters and this occasional paper
The Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters (ABDM) was established in 1978 pursuant to paragraph 124 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly, and received its current mandate pursuant to General Assembly decision 54/418 of 1 December 1999.
A valuable platform for dialogue amidst multilateral deadlocks
The ABDM fulfils a unique role in the disarmament machinery.
“The task is to find a way to move nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation forward” – the advisory board on disarmament matters in a changing international context
It is a privilege to have been part of the disarmament community throughout my career, working for the noble cause of a nuclear-weapon-free world. It allowed me to meet and work with wonderfully smart, capable and determined people. I myself have always endeavoured to make a positive contribution for a better and safer world in all the positions I have held, both as an ambassador representing my country, Japan, home to the Hibakusha – the survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – and as the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs in the early 2000s.
Biological and chemical weapons
In 2022, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) continued to deliver on its mandate and commitment to ensuring the full and effective implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (Chemical Weapons Convention). OPCW also marked a major milestone with the twenty-fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on 29 April.
Emerging, cross-cutting and other issues
In the 2022 sessions of various United Nations bodies, the international community continued to make progress in addressing several emerging challenges related to developments in science and technology and their implications for international peace and security.
Guide to the user
The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs publishes the United Nations Disarmament Yearbook as a concise reference tool for diplomats, researchers, students and the general public on disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control issues under consideration by the international community.