This report encapsulates the outcomes of the two-day conference entitled ‘Scientific and Technological Developments: Benefits and Risks for the Biological Weapons Convention’ held in October 2022 in New Delhi, India. It was organised by the UNODA in partnership with the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA). The Conference’s primary objective was to review developments in science and technology relevant to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and to prepare for the Ninth BWC Review Conference.
The Conference report provides expert insights on the evolving science and technology landscape in the context of the BWC, including in the fields of synthetic biology, public health responses, neurotechnology and digitalization.
Dear Colleagues,
We are very pleased to share the eleventh issue of the UNSGM newsletter, which covers the activities organized in support of the UNSGM for the second half of 2025. The UNSGM team at UNODA worked diligently to maintain the pace of activities in 2025. We are pleased to provide more details on these activities below, as well as an update on staffing for the UNSGM team to ensure the continued high standard of support going forward.
Dear Colleagues,
We are very pleased to share the tenth issue of the UNSGM newsletter. 2025 has proven to be another busy year for the UNSGM team. The first half of the year has already seen several training courses, a regional outreach workshop, and many other activities to strengthen the UNSGM – more details on which can be found in this issue.
This briefing paper provides an overview of the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management (GFA) and explores its relevance and implications for the Asia-Pacific region. Building upon discussions held during the Informal Regional Meeting in support of the GFA—organized by UNRCPD on 4–5 December 2024 in Kathmandu, Nepal—and based on desk research and a series of consultations, the paper identifies regional opportunities and challenges for GFA implementation. The paper begins with a brief history of the process leading to the elaboration and adoption of the GFA.
