Our extrabudgetary work at a glance link

Engaging with youth

• Trained ambitious early-career professionals to tackle emerging disarmament challenges through the Leaders to the Future workshop series. The new programme had a total attendance of 344 in its first months, with women making up 59 per cent of the participants.
• Empowered 20 young biosecurity leaders from the Global South to deepen their professional networks and develop practical experience through three months of online and in-person training.

Promoting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

• Cooperated with Governments in Africa and the Caribbean to integrate small-arms control into their development and security efforts, rallying public officials, private-sector stakeholders and young people to work together in tackling root causes of armed violence.
• Collaborated with three African States to collect and destroy 10,717 illegally held firearms and educate citizens about the dangers and risks of such weapons, delivering on Africa's goal for peace and inclusive and sustainable development.

Supporting education

• Launched UNODA’s first Disarmament Education Strategy, a milestone in its efforts to equip individuals with skills and knowledge for contributing towards the realization of human, national and collective security.
• Familiarized 51 officials from 47 countries on responsible State behaviour in cyberspace.

Advancing gender perspectives in disarmament

• Organized a regional forum where experts and practitioners discussed how to effectively measure and address the intersection of gender-based violence and firearms in the Caribbean.

Spearheaded a global network to amplify the voices and expertise of women in ammunition management through a culture of learning, mentoring and empowerment.

Developing a New Agenda for Peace link

Disarmament is an integral part of the UN Secretary-General’s policy brief on a New Agenda for Peace. Launched in July 2023, the document highlights the important role of efforts to limit, control or eliminate weapons in tackling the challenges our world faces. It also clearly shows the centrality of disarmament to multilateral peace and security efforts and to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Policy brief was developed through a series of consultations with various stakeholders, including Member States and regional and subregional organizations, and it benefited from the contribution of civil society.

As part of that consultative process, UNODA also held a series of exchanges in support of the Secretary-General’s call, contained in his 2021 report on Our Common Agenda, “to update our vision for disarmament so as to guarantee human, national and collective security”.

In November 2022, with support from Austria, the Office convened a discussion in its Vienna Conversation Series on the humanitarian impact of weapons and the role of humanitarian disarmament in advancing international peace and security.

Refining the new vision for disarmament was also the aim of three informal, high-level meetings that UNODA convened in 2023 in Geneva, New York, and Vienna, respectively. Two were made possible by the Netherlands, and the third benefited from the support of Switzerland.

The consultations demonstrated the strong commitment and support of various actors for advancing disarmament and arms control as part of the New Agenda for Peace. They also provided valuable input and recommendations for shaping a new vision for disarmament that is responsive to our world’s current and future challenges.

Strengthening investigative capacities link

The international community set norms against chemical and biological weapons with two treaties. While the Chemical Weapons Convention has an implementing body — the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons — the Biological Weapons Convention lacks such an institution. The UN Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigation of Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons (UNSGM) remains the only international instrument for investigating allegations of biological weapons use. As its custodian, UNODA has continued to lead partners in strengthening operational readiness to conduct such investigations.

In late 2022 and early 2023, UNODA organized five events with the support of Canada, Spain and the European Union to enhance the capacity and skills of experts nominated to the Mechanism’s roster:

• In September 2022, a Capstone field exercise was held in Berlin. This 10-day exercise, organized jointly with the German Robert Koch Institute, simulated a possible UNSGM investigation into alleged use of a biological weapon in order to give experts on the roster an opportunity to test skills they had acquired in previous UNSGM training courses.
• In November 2022, participants in a three-day workshop reviewed outcomes and feedback from a recent Capstone exercise that tested the readiness and coordination of the Mechanism and its partners in responding to a hypothetical allegation of biological weapons use.
• A basic training course for experts nominated to the Mechanism’s roster took place in June and July 2023 in coordination with South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases. The two-week course covered topics such as biosafety and biosecurity, sampling and analysis, field epidemiology and report writing.
• A weeklong biological crime scene management training course was held for experts on the Mechanism’s roster in February and March 2023. Conducted jointly with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and the Public Health Agency of Canada, the course provided practical training on how to manage a biological crime scene, including how to collect, preserve, transport and analyze biological samples.
• A three-day workshop took place in May 2023 to evaluate the results of a calibration study conducted by rostered laboratories to test their proficiency in detecting biological agents.

In addition, a self-paced e-learning course was developed on the UNSGM. These activities demonstrated the commitment and cooperation of UNODA and its partners in ensuring that the Mechanism can conduct credible and impartial investigations of alleged use of biological weapons.

Countering biological threats link

Voluntary contributions from States and regional organizations are critical to implementing the Biological Weapons Convention fully and effectively. In the absence of a dedicated international organization mandated to assist countries in implementing the Convention, UNODA, through the treaty’s Implementation Support Unit, relies on voluntary support to address requests from States parties for tailored assistance.

UNODA organizes events and activities to enhance the capacity and awareness of States parties on various aspects of the Convention. In late 2022 and early 2023, UNODA organized these events with the support of the European Union:

• An International Science and Technology Conference took place in New Delhi in October 2022 to collect and compile inputs and feedback on relevant scientific and technological advances and their associated risks and benefits to the Convention.
• The 2023 Youth for Biosecurity Fellowship was held from March to August 2023, engaging young scientists from the Global South in global biosecurity discussions within the framework of the Convention.
• In March 2023, two “Science for Diplomats” side events took place in the margins of the organizational meeting of the Working Group on strengthening the Biological Weapons Convention. Scientific experiments and scenario exercises helped policymakers learn more about policy challenges resulting from scientific advancements.
• A regional training course for African national contact points on implementing the Convention, held on 16 and 17 May 2023, was a dedicated capacity-building initiative for officials responsible for fulfilling national obligations under the Convention.

Furthermore, UNODA organizes events and activities to enhance the capacity and awareness of States parties on various aspects of the Convention, including the development of BWC implementing legislation. In late 2022 and early 2023, UNODA organized these events with the support of Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom under the framework of the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction:

• One two-day subregional workshop on universalizing and effectively implementing the BWC in Eastern Africa was held in October 2022.
• In March 2023, UNODA hosted a high-level parliamentary delegation from Comoros at its offices in Geneva. The purpose of the visit was to sensitize senior officials on the importance of the Convention and encourage Comoros, as one of the few African States not party to the Convention, to adhere to it.
• UNODA organized two working lunches in March 2023 for Permanent Missions from African States in Geneva to brief participants on the importance of BWC implementation and to provide an overview of UNODA’s available assistance in this regard.
• Two three-day subregional workshops on universalizing and effectively implementing the Convention in Central and Northern Africa took place in May and June 2023, respectively.

The following activities were also made possible by extrabudgetary support:

• Norway sponsored a three-day course on virus detection and biosecurity in the framework of the Convention’s Article X, in Trieste, Italy, in June 2023. UNODA organized the course with the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) as part of a three-year project on “Reducing Biological Risks by Promoting the Peaceful Use of Biology”.
• The Philippines provided voluntary contributions to further improve the current “Article X Database” on cooperation and assistance.
• The European Union, Canada, France, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom provided voluntary contributions to support the participation of representatives from developing countries in the ninth Review Conference.

These efforts by UNODA, States parties and other partners underscored a shared commitment to advancing the Convention while guarding against the proliferation and use of biological weapons.

Implementing Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) link

Voluntary funds played a critical role in international efforts to stop non-State actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or their delivery systems in 2022 and 2023. UN Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) obliges all Member States to take measures to prevent the proliferation to non-State actors of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery, as well as establish appropriate domestic controls over related materials to prevent their illicit trafficking.

The UN Trust Fund for Global and Regional Disarmament Activities, backed by France, Germany, Japan, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, Spain, the United States and the European Union, supported this work. UNODA organized activities in this area that included the following:

• Hosting the Regional Women’s Conference on Preventing the Proliferation of WMD to Non-State Actors in partnership with the Republic of Namibia. The conference aimed to enhance women’s involvement and leadership in the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), as well as to provide a platform for women’s perspectives and ideas on WMD disarmament and non-proliferation.
• Assisting States in developing national action plans and legislation as well as encouraging the drafting and updating of their national reports on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004).
• Organizing regional and subregional workshops, seminars and training courses to raise awareness, share best practices and enhance cooperation among States on resolution 1540 issues.
• Facilitating the provision of technical assistance to States upon request, through the 1540 Committee, its Group of Experts and other relevant international and regional organizations.
• Supporting work by the 1540 Committee and its Group of Experts in conducting country visits, reviewing national reports and conducting outreach activities.

By supporting these activities, extrabudgetary supporters are making a vital contribution towards preventing the proliferation of WMD to non-State actors and enhancing international peace and security.

Advancing regional disarmament aspirations link

Supporting the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction

In 2022 and 2023, UNODA continued to assist the participating States of the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction in implementing the outcomes of the previous sessions, as well as in preparing for the fourth session in 2023. It provided support to the work of the Conference and its intersessional working committee with financial support from the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund (UNPDF).

• In September 2022, a meeting of the working committee took place as a retreat in Tarrytown, New York, where subject-matter experts were invited to contribute on some key issues, including legal aspects of the future Middle East zone treaty and verification in relation to nuclear weapons. The meeting provided an opportunity for the participating States to exchange views on these issues and learn from the experiences of other regions that had established nuclear-weapon-free zones.
• In March 2023, the Conference’s working committee convened again to continue deliberations on issues related to the mandate of the Conference, as contained in General Assembly decision 73/546 of 22 December 2018. The meeting discussed two topics decided by the third session: (1) glossary of terminologies and (2) general principles and obligations for the Middle East zone treaty. Ten subject matter experts were invited to present papers on these topics.
• In June 2023, the working committee held a further meeting to continue discussion on the two topics decided by the third session, as well as related subtopics that emerged from the March meeting. The gathering included panel discussions with four external subject-matter experts, as well as consideration of a summary report.
• Later in the year, the working committee held an additional meeting, in July 2023, to agree on a summary of its substantive deliberations. The summary reflected the committee’s progress during the intersessional period, as well as recommendations for further action by the Conference at its fourth session.

These activities demonstrated the commitment and cooperation of UNODA and the participating States in advancing the goals of the Conference and creating a conducive environment for establishing a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. The UNPDF’s financial support to the aforementioned activities and events contributed meaningfully to the progress made by the Conference and its working committee.

Promoting the implementation of global disarmament and non-proliferation instruments

In October 2022, the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa (UNREC) hosted a workshop for parliamentarians from French-speaking African nations aimed at exploring their role in establishing effective defence and security policies in Africa. Co-funded by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, the event brought together parliamentarians and experts from the Institute for Security Studies and the Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons to promote discussions on inclusive and participatory civil-military relations. In a hybrid setting, parliamentarians from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Niger and Togo engaged with experts in deliberations on regional security challenges and mechanisms for civilian-military cooperation, identifying requirements and opportunities for parliamentarians to increase their involvement in formulating and implementing defence and security policies.

In November 2022, the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) co-hosted the “Twenty-first Republic of Korea – United Nations Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Issues” in Seoul. Held on the theme “Assessing the future disarmament landscape: space security and missile development”, the event enabled Member States, intergovernmental organizations, think tanks and other stakeholders to discuss key challenges related to outer-space security. The event was made possible with voluntary contributions from the Republic of Korea.

Additionally, UNRCPD collaborated with UNODA’s Conventional Arms Branch in January 2023 to hold a regional workshop on military confidence-building measures in Bangkok. Organized with financial support from the Republic of Korea, the workshop was attended by foreign affairs and defence officials from ASEAN member States. The participants discussed existing global and regional confidence-building measures, as well as ways to improve transparency and regional cooperation.

In March 2023, UNREC and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) co-organized a three-day training workshop for the national commissions on small arms and light weapons of the eight WAEMU member States: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo. The aim of the workshop, held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, was to enhance the capacity and knowledge of participants in effectively addressing challenges that stem from the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

Securing ammunition link

Safe and secure management of ammunition through UN SaferGuard

Inadequately managed ammunition stockpiles threaten communities, livelihoods and infrastructure. The UN SaferGuard Programme of UNODA helps States manage their ammunition more safely and securely, based on the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG). The Programme is supported by various donors who enabled the following activities from July 2022 to June 2023:

• The publication of Arabic and French translations of Version 3 of the IATG, thanks to financial support from Germany, France, Ireland, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. The translations facilitate the use and application of the Guidelines by States and other stakeholders.
• UNODA and the Ammunition Management Advisory Team (AMAT) launched three new tools in June 2023 to support implementation of the IATG, with the financial support of Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The tools include the IATG Online Digital Tool, the Comprehensive IATG Training Programme, and the Self-Assessment Tools.
• A regional UN SaferGuard validation exercise was held in July 2022 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for Arabic-speaking ammunition management experts. All six experts from four countries in the Middle East successfully completed the process and were added to the UN SaferGuard roster of experts.

• The new “Women Managing Ammunition Network (WoMA-Network)” was initiated with financial support from Germany to promote more diversity and visibility among women ammunition technical experts at the international level through capacity-building, mentorship and empowerment. In November 2022, a workshop in Geneva brought together 13 women technical experts from nine countries to discuss substantive matters related to through-life conventional ammunition management and gender equality, while also strengthening their skills in communication, advocacy and the delivery of training programmes.

• A workshop took place in September 2022 in Lima to review materials for a train-the-trainers component of a course on weapons and ammunition management (WAM) in UN peace operations. That review was followed in November by a pilot training programme conducted in Stans, Switzerland, with 13 participants from nine troop-contributing countries. Held in collaboration with the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and AMAT and made possible by financial support from Germany and Switzerland, the programme was aimed at standardizing WAM skills and knowledge among personnel from troop-contributing countries deployed in peace operations.
• In June 2023, UNODA, UNMAS and AMAT brought together 11 representatives from the armed forces of nine countries for a training of trainers on WAM in peace operations at the Regional Support Centre Entebbe in Uganda, with financial support from Germany.
• In November 2022, the UN SaferGuard Technical Review Board and Strategic Coordination Group held its annual meeting in Geneva, with financial support from the United Arab Emirates. Participants discussed ongoing UN SaferGuard projects, IATG implementation support tools and resources, and technical amendments to Version 3 of the IATG.

Weapons and ammunition management activities at the regional level

• In December 2022 and March 2023, the UN Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) organized physical security and stockpile management training workshops for St. Kitts and Nevis, Barbados and Jamaica, with financial support from the United States. The aim was to strengthen States’ capacities to prevent the diversion of conventional weapons and ammunition from national stockpile facilities.
• In April 2023, UNLIREC conducted an online legal workshop on WAM in Haiti, with financial support from Germany.

Facilitating effective weapons and ammunition management in a DDR context link

Launched in 2016, this joint UNODA-Department of Peace Operations (DPO) project provides expert resources and guidance, as well as training and technical assistance, to support disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) practitioners in designing and implementing tailored WAM activities linked to DDR processes, in line with the highest international standards and guidelines.

The project included the following activities in 2022 and 2023:

• Translating the Standard Operating Procedure for WAM in DDR Processes into French, Spanish and Arabic to facilitate the use of guidance developed under the joint project, using financial support from Germany and Switzerland.
• Translating the Integrated DDR Standards (IDDRS) modules on Disarmament (4.10) and Transitional Weapons and Ammunition Management (4.11) into French and Spanish, thanks to funding from Germany and Switzerland.
• Translating the handbook on Effective Weapons and Ammunition Management in Changing Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration Context into Arabic, with funding from Germany and Switzerland.
• In the framework of the project’s technical assistance mechanism, publishing a study on “Weapons and Ammunition Dynamics in the Lake Chad Basin”, in partnership with the Lake Chad Basin Commission and with support from Germany and Switzerland. The study presents key findings that include recommendations to support national, regional, and international arms control, as well as DDR practitioners, in designing and implementing WAM initiatives. The study was also translated into French to ensure wide dissemination.
• Delivering three virtual thematic sessions on DDR to the Arms Control and Disarmament Department of the League of Arab States, in close collaboration with the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding and with financial support from Germany and Switzerland. In-depth discussions and presentations addressed various aspects of arms control measures and their significance in regional and international contexts, based on policy and guidance developed under the joint DPO-UNODA initiative.

Supporting good small-arms control practices for safer societies link

Small arms control is a vital component of achieving sustainable development, as it helps to prevent and reduce armed violence, protect civilians, foster peace and security, and save resources for development. In late 2022 and early 2023, extrabudgetary funding provided crucial support for UNODA to continue implementing mandates aimed at countering the illicit trade in small arms, light weapons and their ammunition.

Within the framework of the African Union’s “Silencing the Guns” initiative, UNODA and the African Union supported Liberia, Tanzania, and Togo in their efforts to reduce illegal gun ownership and illicit flows of small arms and light weapons through the Africa Amnesty Month project. With financial support from Germany, those African States encouraged their citizens to voluntarily hand over illegally held small arms under the condition of anonymity and immunity from legal prosecution. Their achievements included the following:

• Organizing broad sensitization campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers and risks of illegal gun ownership and illicit flows of small arms and light weapons.
• Enhancing their capacities in stockpile management and community-based policing.
• Collecting and publicly destroying the weapons surrendered voluntarily by civilians, eliminating 10,717 weapons in total.

Meanwhile, in November 2022, the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) organized the second iteration of a regional programme funded by Sweden to assist the Asia-Pacific in establishing and maintaining gun-free zones. Focused on scenario-based exercises and sharing effective practices, the gathering equipped law enforcement officials, civil society actors and other participants with practical guidance, knowledge and skills to develop and implement measures aimed at preventing and reducing the occurrence of gun violence.

Elsewhere, the UN Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) undertook the following activities:

• A series of activities supported by Canada to support the implementation of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, including courses for national authorities on combating trafficking in arms and ammunition; firearms investigations from a gender perspective; managing ballistic intelligence; and facilitating monitoring and evaluation activities.
• Efforts supported by the United States to systematically decrease the risk of diversion of firearms and ammunition from government-owned arsenals in the Caribbean through sustainable national operational practices to combat illicit firearms.
• A project supported by Spain, the United States and the SALIENT Fund to enhance the capacity of Caribbean States to implement national operational practices to combat illicit firearms and ammunition trafficking as identified in the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap.
• An initiative financed by Germany and the SALIENT Fund to tackle the diversion of weapons and ammunition and reduce armed violence in the region through law enforcement capacity-building and technical assistance, advocacy, legal and policy support, and the development of practical supportive tools.

The European Union’s funding for activities in support of gender mainstreamed policies, programmes and actions in the fight against small arms trafficking and misuse, in line with the women, peace and security agenda continued through the second half of 2022. They included:

• In-person, specialized training programmes for national authorities in Costa Rica, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago on how to conduct gender-sensitive firearms investigations and collect data on firearms-related violence against women.
• A regional forum that brought together stakeholders from regional and international organizations to discuss challenges and good practices for measuring violence against women and firearms in the Caribbean.
• In-country pilot training programmes in Burundi and Sierra Leone on mainstreaming gender in small-arms control.
• A dedicated e-course on gender-mainstreaming small-arms control, available in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
• A side event of the General Assembly First Committee on “Gender-Responsive Small Arms Control – Lessons from National Implementation”.
• A training manual entitled “Gender Mainstreaming Small Arms Control”, containing guidance and recommendations on how to integrate gender perspectives into small arms control policies, programmes and actions.

The European Union also continued its support of small arms and light weapons control, particularly by enhancing implementation of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons through a new grant running from December 2022 through 2025. In that connection, UNLIREC held five joint interinstitutional sensitization meetings with the Organization of American States (OAS) on the Central American Roadmap Initiative, sponsored by the European Union, as part of a project to support progress in the context of the Programme of Action. UNODA is also ready to continue its work on gender mainstreaming, working with the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Network to familiarize WPS Focal Points with the issue of small arms and light weapons control.

SALIENT: Promoting security and sustaining development link

Launched in 2021, the Saving Lives Entity (SALIENT) is a dedicated funding facility within the UN Peacebuilding Fund for ensuring sustained financing of coordinated, integrated small-arms control measures in most-affected countries. Administered by UNODA and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), SALIENT receives financial support from Finland, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland.

The initial phase of the three pilot projects was successfully completed. The key outcomes include:

• Cameroon: Capacity-building and training for national small-arms authorities, members of the media, national gender authorities and youth representatives on issues such as small-arms control, reduction of armed violence, gender mainstreaming, and community safety and security; and development of a strategy on gender and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR).
• Jamaica: A review of national firearms legislation; training for law enforcement officials; production of guidance materials on criminal investigations and firearms use in schools; training of educators on community-based peacebuilding; and completion of a community violence audit.
• South Sudan: Enhanced coordination among national small-arms authorities; improved national registration of firearms and police-owned arms; procurement of metal detectors and motorcycles for border police; operationalization of women’s networks, including for police officers and civilians; administration of a national survey on disarmament strategy; and a public awareness campaign on the negative impacts on small arms.

A range of other activities also took place during the reporting period, including the following:

• A scoping mission was dispatched to Honduras in 2022 to assess needs and opportunities for SALIENT interventions with a focus on enhancing arms control policies and armed violence prevention frameworks.
• A seminar on tackling the presence of firearms in schools was organized in June 2023 in Honduras. The seminar promoted a national dialogue among different sectors and actors to discuss the context, impacts, and challenges of the presence and use of firearms in schools, while also presenting good practices from other countries in the region.

Through these activities and others, SALIENT has contributed to advancing the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals while demonstrating its value in supporting comprehensive and coherent approaches to small arms control and armed violence reduction.

UNSCAR: Investing in arms control with civil society link

The UN Trust Facility Supporting Cooperation on Arms Regulation (UNSCAR) continued to support quick-impact, small-scale, short-term, theme-specific projects in 2022 and 2023. Since its inception one decade earlier, UNSCAR funded 112 projects in the total amount of US$13 million, benefiting 148 countries in all regions worldwide. The programme’s 2021 and 2022 implementation cycles saw the completion of 16 projects, and 10 proposals were selected for the 2023 cycle from 50 applications received through an annual call for proposals. Coordination efforts helped avoid duplication in funding, particularly with work by the Arms Trade Treaty Voluntary Trust Fund (ATT-VTF), while also ensuring complementarities with activities of the Saving-Lives Entity (SALIENT) trust fund. Of UNSCAR’s 15 donors, Australia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany and the Slovak Republic renewed their financial contributions for the current implementation cycle.

Several notable impacts from UNSCAR-funded projects appear below, with a focus on those that received monitoring missions in 2023:

• Cameroon: Harmonization of global and regional reporting – undertaken with the Cameroon Youth and Students Forum for Peace
  Central African States drafted and agreed on a reporting template compatible with the reporting requirements for both the Kinshasa Convention and the UN Programme of Action. (September 2023)
• Malawi: Capacity-building for small arms control and weapons destruction –with the Peoples Federation for National Peace and Development
  A civil society partner provided training for the Malawi Police Service; supported the destruction of 1,027 obsolete and collected weapons; and organized seminars for parliamentarians and civil society organizations on arms control and related gender-responsive approaches. (July 2023)
• Manila: Subregional roadmap – with Nonviolence International South East Asia
  Hosted by the Government of the Philippines, representatives from 11 countries in South-East and South Asia discussed and agreed on a draft subregional roadmap on small arms control at the working level. (May 2023)
• Kenya: Subregional gender action plan and record-keeping of weapons – with the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA)
  The States Parties to the Nairobi Protocol adopted the RECSA gender action plan and evaluated the utilization of RECSA record-keeping software. (May 2023)
• Jakarta (online): Support for Parliamentarians in Asia – with the Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons
  Implemented in partnership with the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Inter-Parliamentary Assembly Secretariat, this project included capacity-building and training efforts in support of small arms control, reducing armed violence in communities and advancing the Security Council’s women, peace and security agenda. (October 2023)

In addition, UNSCAR and Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) jointly organized a side event to introduce a new study on “Explosive Weapons and the Arms Trade Treaty” in October 2023.

By effectively making use of monitoring opportunities, UNSCAR will continue to provide technical, substantive and political advice and assistance to implementing partners and recipient countries, while ensuring the guiding principle of national ownership.

Restricting inhumane weapons link

Extrabudgetary support is key for effectively implementing the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (CCW), a core international humanitarian law instrument that bans or limits the use of certain weapons that cause excessive or indiscriminate harm. Specifically, voluntary funds enable activities to promote universalization and strengthen implementation of the Convention, while also facilitating related awareness-raising efforts and outreach to additional actors. In September 2021, the European Union adopted Council decision 2021/1694 to support the universalization, implementation and strengthening of the CCW.

That support paved the way for a range of activities, including regional workshops in South-East Asia (April), Eastern Africa (June) and the Caribbean (July) on achieving the CCW’s universalization. The workshops brought together representatives from non-High Contracting Parties of the regions, experts from regional and international non-governmental organizations working on CCW topics, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and several United Nations partners to exchange views on the benefits and challenges of joining the CCW and its Protocols. The workshops also benefited from the participation of experts from High Contracting Parties who shared their experiences implementing the CCW and its Protocols. In addition, the participants explored the topic of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), one of the pressing issues being addressed under the Convention. The participants discussed the ethical, legal, and humanitarian implications of such systems, while also exploring ways to effectively regulate them.

Extrabudgetary support also enabled UNODA to facilitate three multi-stakeholder discussions in late 2022 and early 2023 on under-explored issues related to the Convention. The first event, on universalizing the Convention and its Protocols, was aimed at raising awareness among non-High Contracting Parties about the importance and benefits of joining the CCW. The second event, comprising two workshops on national annual reports, allowed participants to discuss best practices on reporting obligations under the Convention and led to the release of updated and tailored reporting guidance for High Contracting Parties. The third event was an expert-led webinar aimed at stimulating thinking and dialogue on human oversight and accountability over weapons systems, held on the margins of the Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS.

Supporting States in ensuring a safe and secure cyberspace link

Regional and subregional consultations on a cyber programme of action

In December 2022, the General Assembly asked UNODA to collaborate with regional organizations to convene a series of consultations on a proposal for a programme of action to advance responsible State behaviour in the use of information and communications technologies in the context of international security.

With the support of France and Germany, UNODA co-organized eight regional consultative meetings from May to September 2023 in cooperation with the Africa Group, the Organization of American States, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the European Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Pacific Islands Forum, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the League of Arab States.

Participants discussed the potential scope, structure and content of the proposed programme of action, which is described as a potential permanent, inclusive, action-oriented mechanism to (a) address existing and potential threats in the area of information and communications technologies security; and (b) support States’ efforts to implement and advance commitments in this area. Participants also considered possible preparatory work and modalities for its establishment. The series of in-person, virtual and hybrid meetings drew delegates from more than 100 countries.

Developing national capacities

Launched in August 2022, the UN-Singapore Cyber Fellowship programme convened two sessions from 8 to 13 May and from 14 to 19 August 2023, respectively, at the ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence, supported by voluntary financial contributions from Singapore. Its aim is to equip representatives of national authorities working on cyber strategy, policy, technology and operations with practical knowledge and skills drawing from the UN-developed normative framework for responsible State behaviour.

The programme took place over six days and featured lectures on the current cybersecurity landscape, as well as round-table and panel discussions on international law, cybercrime and digital diplomacy, among other subject areas. Its practical components included a table-top exercise. A total of 51 Fellows from 47 countries attended the May and August sessions.

Promoting disarmament education and partnerships link

The UN General Assembly has consistently recognized disarmament education for decades as a vital tool to foster a culture of peace and non-violence. Now, in a climate of rising tensions, eroding multilateral norms and mechanisms, and threats from emerging technologies, empowering individuals with the knowledge and skills to support disarmament goals is becoming even more urgent.

UNODA’s hub for disarmament education

UNODA’s work in this area is coordinated by its Vienna Office, which serves as a hub for UNODA’s strategic direction on educational aspects and for engaging diverse audiences and stakeholders, especially youth, in dialogue and learning on disarmament topics. In 2022 and 2023, Austria continued to support the Office’s operational costs.

The donor-funded disarmament education activities of the Vienna Office in 2022 and 2023 included the following:

• In close collaboration with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Office implemented the fifth round of the joint OSCE-UNODA Scholarship for Peace and Security, a training programme aimed at equipping emerging young professionals, especially women, with the skills and knowledge to contribute to peace and security. Comprising an eight-week, self-paced online training course (complemented by live sessions with disarmament experts), followed by a week-long in-person segment for selected participants in Vienna, this programme benefited from financial assistance provided to the OSCE by Andorra, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain and the United States.
• In September 2022, UNODA held a round-table discussion on “New Directions for Disarmament & Non-Proliferation Education”. During the exchange, participants in the UN Programme of Fellowships on Disarmament joined various experts to consider what disarmament education practitioners have achieved to date, as well as their options for navigating future challenges and opportunities. Support from Austria for the operations of the Vienna Office made the dialogue possible.
• In December 2022, UNODA held a soft launch event for its first-ever Disarmament Education Strategy, which provides a common framework for the Office’s educational activities. Made possible thanks to Austria’s support, the event also celebrated the tenth anniversary of UNODA’s Vienna Office.
• Support from the Republic of Korea enabled UNODA to host an edition of its Vienna Conversation Series on the ways that scientific and technological advances are impacting international security, as well as the role of disarmament education in fostering diversity and inclusion. The event took place in March 2023 to commemorate the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness.
• In June 2023, the UNODA Vienna Office participated with an interactive booth at the Open Air Human Rights Fair, organized by the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria, in partnership with the United Nations in Vienna and other national and international organizations. Interlinkages between disarmament and human rights were spotlighted through written and visual educational materials, interactive features, and engaging discussions between UNODA staff and visitors. The Office’s participation in the outreach event was made possible by Austria’s financial support.

Strengthening disarmament education in Asia and the Pacific

In January 2023, the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) organized a workshop entitled “Strengthening Education in Nepal for Disarmament” for high-school and university educators in Nepal. Funded by the Republic of Korea, the workshop served as a baseline assessment of the status of disarmament education in secondary and tertiary educational institutions, as well as an opportunity to introduce available UNODA tools and resources for educators.

Engaging, educating and empowering youth link

Youth around the world have a critical role to play in raising awareness and developing new ways to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction and conventional arms.

In 2023, UNODA’s #Youth4Disarmament initiative took a new step to engage with, educate and empower young people when it launched its “Leaders to the Future” (#L2F) workshop series, made possible by the Republic of Korea. In interactive online sessions held each month with representatives of Member States, UN entities, civil society groups and youth-led organizations, past #Y4D members are developing the experience and building the networks they will need to tackle future peace and security challenges related to disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control (DNA).

Participants have taken part in these activities to date:

• Shaping the future of disarmament through the New Agenda for Peace: In January, 46 young people from around the world shared their views on how to support the Secretary-General’s New Agenda for Peace. In an exchange timed to mark the International Day of Education, the participants discussed and developed bold and fresh ideas about the future of disarmament.
• Advocating for gender parity: In February, the Leaders to the Future examined how gender parity is important to the disarmament field. Then, in breakout groups, the participants developed their own proposals for advancing gender parity in the field.
• Weighing the future of outer space: To support preparations for the 2024 Summit of the Future, #L2F participants gathered in March to confer on a range of topics related to the peaceful uses of outer space. After receiving expert briefings from UNODA and the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the Leaders to the Future formulated recommendations on the topic.
• Celebrating multilateralism: To mark the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace in April, the Leaders to the Future heard from a diverse group of speakers on the role of multilateralism in disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control.
• Learning about new and emerging technologies: In May, #L2F participants heard from experts about the opportunities and challenges posed by new and emerging technologies, including how they may impact disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control efforts.
• Strengthening diversity: In June, the young leaders learned about approaches to strengthening inclusion and diversity in the disarmament field. They heard from a distinguished line-up of speakers on their efforts to provide platforms for all stakeholders to participate and contribute to disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control processes.

The #L2F Series provides a unique opportunity for young leaders to learn from and interact with experts and practitioners in the field of disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control. Recommendations drafted by the Leaders to the Future were shared on the #Youth4Disarmament website and presented in a side event of the Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in Vienna, amplifying the innovative ideas among multiple stakeholders. Through this donor-supported effort, UNODA is building a network of youth ready to tackle tomorrow’s disarmament challenges.

Promoting responsible innovation in artificial intelligence for peace and security link

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) present both opportunities and risks for international peace and security. Peaceful applications of AI can help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and even augment peacekeeping efforts, but civilian AI can also be misused with implications for peace and security, including for political disinformation, cyberattacks, terrorism or military operations.

That is why, with financial support from the European Union, UNODA is partnering with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) for a programme to engage with AI practitioners to tackle risks to international peace and security from the misuse of civilian AI technology.

One aim of the programme is to equip the next generation of AI practitioners with the tools and understanding they will need to engage in responsible innovation, doing their part to ensure that the use of civilian AI remains peaceful. In interactive, in-person workshops, students and educators from around the world will meet at select universities and learn to identify, for themselves, what risks emanate from the technologies they develop. UNODA is also developing a range of educational materials to support this outreach, including blog posts by subject experts, scenario-based exercises for educators, and a limited series of podcasts for a technical audience new to disarmament.

UNODA and SIPRI are also engaging with private-sector stakeholders to better understand how such actors can help minimize the risk of irresponsible actors acquiring and misusing civilian AI technologies.

In September 2023, the partners brought together 15 AI experts from industry, academia, civil society and governance for two days of discussion. Over the course of these first multi-stakeholder dialogues, participants explored trends in AI research and innovation that may generate risks for peace and security, while also considering how such risks may be mitigated, including through the promotion of responsible innovation practices.

By raising awareness, building capacity, and fostering dialogue among stakeholders, UNODA and SIPRI are working to promote ethical, safe, and inclusive AI development and use.

Annex link

Trust Funds for UNREC, UNLIREC and UNRCPD

Support the regional centres to promote disarmament, arms control, non-proliferation, peace and security in their respective regions, assisting Member States through policy, legal and technical assistance, capacity-building training, practical disarmament measures, as well as fostering dialogue, disseminating information and promoting advocacy across a range of priority peace and security matters, from small arms to nuclear weapons, relevant to regional stakeholders.

Trust Fund for UNSCAR

Supports the implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty and the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons by funding projects of UN partners, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations and academia. Funded activities range from organizing expert discussions and raising awareness to building capacity and destroying weapons.

Trust Fund for Global and Regional Disarmament Activities

Supports measures to promote disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation at the global and regional levels, through studies, expert discussions, capacity-building and practical disarmament measures. This trust fund is also the vehicle for extrabudgetary activities from voluntary contributions earmarked in support of UN Security Council resolution 1540 (2004).

Trust Fund for the UN Disarmament Information Programme

Supports greater public awareness and understanding of multilateral efforts for arms control and disarmament through information and educational materials, communication tools, conferences and seminars, special events and outreach.

Regular budget (RB)

For the years 2021–2022, the regular budget amounted to $24.5 million. It covers costs associated with 61 posts (in New York, Geneva, Lomé, Lima and Kathmandu), meetings of governmental experts mandated by the General Assembly and the UN Programme of Fellowships on Disarmament. The regular budget also covers staff travel, technical expertise as required, administrative support and a portion of the operational costs of the three regional centres of UNODA.

UNODA also administers regular budget resources under Special Political Missions in support of the 1540 Committee on the non-proliferation of all weapons of mass destruction. Regular budget resources for Special Political Missions for 2021–2022 were $6 million and covered costs for staffing, office space and equipment, communications, technical experts, and travel of staff, experts and members of the 1540 Committee.

Extrabudgetary resources (XB)

Voluntary contributions amounted to $10.8 million in 2021 and $10.4 million in 2022. These resources have been the principal source of funds to develop and organize capacity-building activities, which are held at the subregional or country level, and which bring together government officials, practitioners, experts and other relevant stakeholders.

Additionally, extrabudgetary funds support the promotion and universalization of standards and norms and the organization of conferences to promote international dialogue and confidence-building. The Implementation Support Units, based in Geneva, of the Biological Weapons Convention and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons are funded solely from extrabudgetary resources.

Voluntary contributions were also provided for UNSCAR, a multi-donor flexible funding mechanism designed to finance projects supporting the implementation of the Arms Trade Treaty and the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons.

Voluntary contributions also support the Vienna Office of UNODA.

UNODA continues to rely on extrabudgetary resources to supplement its regular budget for the implementation of its mandates.