Disarmament

Efforts by the United Nations to advance the international disarmament and non-proliferation agenda through its disarmament machinery (the Disarmament Commission, the Conference on Disarmament and the General Assembly’s First Committee) were mixed during 2013. A landmark development during the year was the convening by the General Assembly of a one-day high-level meeting on 26 September, with the aim of contributing to the achievement of the goal of nuclear disarmament. The meeting agreed to convene, no later than 2018, a United Nations high-level international conference on nuclear disarmament to review progress made in that regard and declared 26 September as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. Momentum towards the entry into force and universalization of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was sustained in 2013, with ratification by four more States. However, on 12 February, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (dprk) carried out its third declared nuclear test explosion. In March, the Security Council condemned that nuclear test, as well as the dprk’s ongoing nuclear activities. On the other hand, there was significant breakthroughs with respect to the nuclear programme of Iran, which reached agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (iaea) on a Joint Action Plan. In November, they also agreed on a Joint Statement on a Framework for Cooperation, including measures for resolving outstanding issues. The implementation of the commitments agreed to at the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (npt) remained a central focus. While acknowledging some progress in the implementation of the commitments made at the 2010 Review Conference, States parties recognized that greater implementation efforts were required. Meanwhile, the issue of the humanitarian approach to disarmament continued to gain prominence, centered on building a better public understanding of the humanitarian consequences of using nuclear weapons. In March, Norway hosted an international conference on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons (Oslo, 4–5 March), which recognized the unlikelihood that any State or international body could adequately address the resulting immediate humanitarian emergency, or provide sufficient assistance to those affected.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Partnerships for the Goals