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UN Disarmament Documentation

Disarmament Documentation

Both the General Assembly and the Security Council consider disarmament topics, in accordance with Articles 11, 26 and 47 of the UN Charter.

They have also created subsidiary bodies that focus on disarmament matters.

The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) provides support to the disarmament bodies and promotes disarmament efforts.

Security Council & Disarmament

The Security Council has established the UN Security Council Committee Established pursuant to Resolution 1540 (2004) concerning the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Other subsidiaries of the Security Council may also consider disarmament matters, in particular the sanctions committees.

General Assembly & Disarmament

The General Assembly considers disarmament and has created several subsidiaries that deal with the topic.

UN General Assembly First Committee is the main committee of the General Assembly dedicated to disarmament.

The General Assembly has held 3 special sessions on disarmament, and called for a 4th.

The first special session on disarmament established four bodies (A/RES/S-10/2) :

  • Conference on Disarmament
  • Disarmament Commission
  • Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters
  • UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)

Special Sessions of the General Assembly on Disarmament

The General Assembly has held three special sessions on the question of disarmament; a fourth has been called for by multiple General Assembly resolutions.

First Special Session on Disarmament

  • 1st special session on disarmament = 10th special session of the General Assembly
  • Held in New York, 23 May -30 June 1978
  • Document series symbol: A/S-10/--
  • Final document: General Assembly resolution S-10/2 of 30 June 1978, includes:
    • Declaration
    • Programme of Action
    • A section on international disarmament machinery

Second Special Session on Disarmament

  • 2nd special session on disarmament = 12th special session of the General Assembly
  • Held in New York, 7 June to 10 July 1982
  • Document series symbol: A/S-12/--
  • Final document: General Assembly decision S-12/24 of 10 July 1982 adopted A/S-12/32 as the session's concluding document

Third Special Session on Disarmament

  • 3rd special session on disarmament = 15th special session of the General Assembly
  • Held in New York, 31 May to 26 June 1988
  • Document series symbol: A/S-15/--
  • Final document: General Assembly decision S-15/24 of 25 June 1988 took note of A/S-15/50 as the session's concluding document

Fourth Special Session on Disarmament (proposed)

  • Several resolutions call for a 4th Special Session on Disarmament

Office of Disarmament Affairs (UNODA)

The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) provides support to the disarmament bodies created by the General Assembly and the Security Council and generally promotes disarmament efforts.

UNODA was established by General Assembly resolution 61/257 of 15 March 2007, as a successor to the Department for Disarmament Affairs (DDA).

A complete history can be found in Chapter 4 of The United Nations and nuclear orders (link to ebook for UNHQ)

UNODA has published The United Nations Disarmament Yearbooksince 1946

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