The Disarmament and International Security Committee, or First Committee, will hold its eightieth session from 8 October to 7 November 2025.
The United Nations General Assembly First Committee addresses issues related to disarmament, global challenges and threats to peace that affect the international community, working to find solutions to challenges in the international security regime.
It reviews matters of disarmament and international security under the UN Charter or other relevant UN bodies, the general principles of cooperation in maintaining global peace, as well as principles of disarmament and the regulation of armaments. The First Committee also promotes cooperative arrangements and measures to strengthen stability through lower levels of armaments.
During this year’s First Committee session, UNIDIR will convene a dynamic series of discussions addressing today’s most pressing international security challenges. These events will spotlight themes ranging from the strengthening of global coordination through the UN Points of Contact Directory, the protection of critical infrastructure such as subsea cables, and the security implications of emerging technologies in outer space, to the launch of the Science and Technology Watchtower Project, which will help policymakers track scientific and technological developments with disarmament relevance.
Further dialogues will examine the proliferation of artificial intelligence and its ethical, regulatory, and security dimensions, explore regional and national approaches to weapons and ammunition management in Africa, and advance the Women, Peace and Security Agenda through arms control and disarmament. Together, these discussions reflect UNIDIR’s commitment to fostering informed, inclusive, and forward-looking approaches to international peace and security.