In 2013, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) declared September 26 to be the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (Nuclear Abolition Day). The aims of the day are to enhance public awareness about the threat posed to humanity by nuclear weapons and the necessity for their total
On May 24, the International Women’s Day for Peace and Disarmament, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres released a video message highlighting the importance of disarmament, in particular nuclear disarmament. ‘Today the global security environment is threatened from many sides‘ said Mr Guterres. ‘Regional nuclear challenges persist. And tensions between nuclear
Money makes the world go around Cabaret by Christopher Isherwood The nuclear weapons and fossil fuel industries are making billions – if not trillions – of dollars fostering a nuclear arms race and destroying the climate. They have a vested financial interest in producing more and more nuclear weapons and
[Photo: French nuclear test in Algeria] Seven major peace organisations in France released a joint statement yesterday commemorating the 73rd anniversary of the first resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, Resolution 1 (1) adopted on January 24, 1946, and calling on the leaders of France and other nuclear armed
On January 24, 1946, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted by consensus its very first resolution, Res 1 (I), which established a commission of the UN Security Council to ensure the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction. The ensuing
by Alyn Ware* On October 30, 2018, the UN Human Rights Committee adopted a new General comment No. 36 (2018) on article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), on the right to life, which concludes that the threat or use of nuclear weapons is incompatible
Photo: Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre, deputy commander of the United Nations Command, speaks during a ceremony on July 27, 2018, commemorating the 65th anniversary of the signing of the Korean War Armistice agreement at the truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas. (Jung Yeon-je /Pool
Oct 24-30 was UN Disarmament Week, during which member states voted on a range of disarmament decisions and resolutions. Decisions generally relate to actions to be undertaken by UN Secretariat, and require implementation. Resolutions, on the other hand, are mostly indications of governments’ positions and intent. They can be very
The UN General Assembly held a high level meeting on nuclear disarmament on Wednesday last week (September 26) to commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. Presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers and other leaders from around the world used the opportunity to promote key initiatives and
September 26. International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons Sincere, substantive and results-oriented dialogue towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons, led by the nuclear-armed States, is urgently needed, according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who addressed a High-Level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly today. The plenary