Drawing on data from 13 RECSA Member States, the study establishes 2005 and 2025 baselines across 16 thematic areas. The review finds clear progress in the implementation of the Nairobi Protocol. Member States have reinforced national legislation and established transfer control systems, while improving stockpile management, weapons marking and record-keeping. Controls over civilian possession and commercial actors have also expanded, alongside growing institutional and enforcement capacity. Yet implementation remains uneven, with persistent weaknesses in legislation, cross-border cooperation, civilian licensing, border control, tracing, record-keeping, and the collection and destruction of illicit and surplus SALW.

The report recommends that RECSA Member States undertake a review of the Nairobi Protocol to strengthen existing provisions, align it with global and African frameworks, and address new and emerging threats. By identifying effective practices and common challenges, this scorecard provides an analytical foundation for amending the Nairobi Protocol, revising its Best Practice Guidelines and developing a five-year action plan, which will in turn equip States with updated guidance for effective SALW control.

Citation: Ruben Nicolin, Lillian Wamuyu, Benjamin Agage and Paul Holtom. The Nairobi Protocol on Small Arms and Light Weapons at 20: A Regional Implementation Scorecard. Geneva, Nairobi: UNIDIR, RECSA, 2026. https://doi.org/10.37559/CAAP/26/ASC/03.

The post The Nairobi Protocol on Small Arms and Light Weapons at 20: A Regional Implementation Scorecard first appeared on UNIDIR.

The report emphasizes the need for early and sustained engagement through proactive dialogue, and balancing regional security objectives with NWS strategic interests.

Citation: Chen Zak Kane and Sarah Ruth Opatowski, “The Role of Extraregional States in the Middle East WMD-Free Zone”, Geneva, 2025.  https://www.doi.org/10.37559/MEWMDFZ/2025/ExtraRegRole.

The post The Role of Extraregional States in the Middle East WMD-Free Zone first appeared on UNIDIR.

Citation: Middle East WMD-Free Zone Project (2025) “Comprehensive study of the question of nuclear-weapon-free zones in all its aspects”, UNIDIR, Geneva, Switzerland.

The post Submission on United Nations General Assembly Resolution 79/241 “Comprehensive Study of the Question of Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones in all its Aspects” first appeared on UNIDIR.

The issue brief addresses existing discussions and good practices on end-use/r controls and how ATT States Parties use end-use/r controls, including documentation, within their own diversion-prevention measures. It also aims to improve understanding of underutilized potential and to identify options that could be pursued to strengthen control systems in order to more effectively implement the ATT’s provisions on diversion prevention and related efforts.

This brief is intended to inform the ongoing exchange of national implementation practices within the ATT, specifically the discussion on national import controls, and future deliberations on intersecting issues.

This is the sixth in a series of ATT issue briefs released as part of joint research by the research consortium composed of UNIDIR, Conflict Armament Research and the Stimson Center. Established in 2019, the consortium provides research, technical advice, expertise and tools to enhance knowledge of the ATT and facilitate dialogue among States, strengthen shared understanding of the impact of the treaty in addressing diversion risks, and identify avenues to promote effective policies and practices under the treaty.

Citation: Paula Soumaya Domit, Rachel Stohl, Natalie Bramlett, Rob Hunter-Perkins, and Ishtiaq Khan (2025), “The Arms Trade Treaty Preventing Diversion Through End-Use and End-User Controls”, issue brief No. 6, UNIDIR, Conflict Armament Research, and Stimson Center. https://doi.org/10.37559/CAAP/25/WAM/08. 

The post The Arms Trade Treaty: Preventing Diversion Through End-Use and End-User Controls first appeared on UNIDIR.

It identifies the possible implications of such adjustments on States’ positions regarding non-proliferation and disarmament initiatives, including the Middle East WMD Free Zone. The paper proposes a number of options to promote and enhance the security value of the Zone, including greater integration of the Zone with ongoing and future regional dialogues. The proposed options aim at strengthening the Zone’s core threat reduction, confidence-building and regional cooperation functions.

Citation: Abdolrasool Divsallar,“Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East: The Role of the WMD-Free Zone Initiative,” (Geneva: UNIDIR, 2025), https://www.doi.org/10.37559/MEWMDFZ/2025/CombatingWMD.

The post Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East: The Role of the WMD-Free Zone Initiative first appeared on UNIDIR.

To address this issue, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), with the support of France and Germany, organized a high-level retreat in Montreux, Switzerland, on 22–23 June 2023 to discuss ideas to revitalize the work of the CD and its relationship with the wider disarmament machinery. Seventy-nine participants from 60 States (including 51 CD Member States and 9 States that have applied for Observer status to the CD) participated in the retreat in their personal capacity.

This report provides a factual summary of the discussion in Montreux.

Citation: Fanny Sebban, James Revill, Johanna Kleffmann, Renata H. Dalaqua and Vivienne Zhang (2023) “Revitalizing the Conference on Disarmament: Workshop Report”, UNIDIR, Geneva, 2023, https://doi.org/10.37559/WMD/23/CD-Retreat.

The post Revitalizing the Conference on Disarmament: Workshop Report first appeared on UNIDIR.

It identifies commonality in views as well as areas that require further discussion in relation to eleven thematic areas covered in the proposals and the Group’s discussions. These include:

1. Application of International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
2. Weapons prohibitions and other regulations/restrictions
3. Application of International Human Rights Law (IHRL) and International Criminal Law (ICL)
4. Characterisation
5. General requirements regarding human-machine interaction and human control
6. Responsibility and accountability
7. Legal reviews
8. Risk mitigation
9. Ethical considerations
10. Peaceful uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
11. Potential benefits of autonomy in weapon systems
     

Also available: Annex A, which includes relevant excerpts from proposals related to emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems.

* This Resource Paper is an updated version of the previous document UNIDIR released in July 2022, and includes the following additional submissions to the GGE on LAWS in 2022 that were not included in the previous version: Elements for a Legally Binding Instrument to Address the Challenges Posed by Autonomy in Weapon Systems; Protocol VI; Working Paper submitted by Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden; Working Paper of the People’s Republic of China on LAWS, and Working Paper of the Russian Federation “Application of International Law to Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS)”.

Sponsor Organizations: Support from UNIDIR’s core funders provides the foundation for all of the Institute’s activities. Both this paper and the original resource paper were prepared with supported from the Governments of New Zealand and Switzerland. This paper was prepared by UNIDIR’s Security and Technology Programme, which is funded by the governments of Czechia, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland, and by Microsoft.

Citation: Ioana Puscas and Alisha Anand (2023) “Proposals Related to Emerging Technologies in the Area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems: A Resource Paper (Updated)”, UNIDIR, Geneva, Switzerland.

The post Proposals Related to Emerging Technologies in the Area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems: A Resource Paper (updated) first appeared on UNIDIR.

Progress with the CWC will however require careful preparation both in terms of the development of substantive inputs and ideas, but also raising awareness and understanding of the CWC and the Review Conference process. To support the CWC delegates, this report includes factual material on the historical experiences related to preparations, proposals, procedures, and participation in past Review Conferences.

It also includes a brief, balanced analysis of salient issues that are likely to be addressed at the Fifth Review Conference. Furthermore, it makes recommendation for preparing for the Review Conference.
 

Executive Summaries in All UN Languages

Arabic • Chinese • English • French • Russian • Spanish

Citation: Alexander Ghionis, Alexander Kelle and María Garzón Maceda (2023) “Preparing for Success at the Fifth Review Conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention: A Guide to the Issues”, UNIDIR, Geneva, https://doi.org/10.37559/WMD/23/CWC/01

The post Preparing for Success at the Fifth Review Conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention: A Guide to the Issues first appeared on UNIDIR.

Citation: Sarah Erickson and Vivienne Zhang (2022) “Advancing Space Security Through Norms, Rules and Principles of Responsible Behaviour? Webinar Summary Report”, UNIDIR, Geneva. https://doi.org/10.37559/WMD/22/Space02.

The post Advancing Space Security Through Norms, Rules and Principles of Responsible Behaviour? Webinar Summary Report first appeared on UNIDIR.

Teaser: A Guide to the Issues

Sponsor Organizations: The Governments of Norway and France

Citation: James Revill, John Borrie, Richard Lennane and Emma Saunders (2021) “Preparing for Success at the Ninth Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention Review Conference”, UNIDIR, Geneva, Switzerland.

The post Preparing for Success at the Ninth Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention Review Conference first appeared on UNIDIR.

The post OEWG Briefing Paper No.1: Nuclear Disarmament in Relevant United Nations Forums first appeared on UNIDIR.

The post The IAEA Additional Protocol after the 2010 NPT Review: Status and Prospects first appeared on UNIDIR.

Citation: James Revill (2012). “A Peer-Review Mechanism for the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention”, UNIDIR, Geneva.

The post A Peer-Review Mechanism for the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention first appeared on UNIDIR.

Those debates covered key issues on the agenda of the Conference. In addition, members of the CD addressed the question of revitalization. This issue has arisen because of concerns that, since the negotiation of the CTBT, the Conference has been unable to get underway on any negotiation.

Although these papers are brief, it is hoped that they will serve to provide newcomers to the work of the CD with insights into how key issues on the agenda have been shaped, as well as shed light on the complex procedural issues in play.

Citation: Weapons of Mass Destruction Programme (2012). “The Conference on Disarmament: Issues and Insights”, UNIDIR, Geneva.

The post The Conference on Disarmament: Issues and Insights first appeared on UNIDIR.

Over the last decade it has become increasingly clear that effective action will require a concerted effort from all those who can play a role in ensuring that the life sciences continue to be used safely, securely and solely for beneficial purposes. This book gathers together many of the best contributions from the recent work within the BWC framework and provides expert reviews of key themes, case studies of interesting national approaches, as well as unique perspectives from the ground. It is a practical tool for implementing the convention, an introductory guide to current best practice at the health/security interface and adds to the historical record of this important international instrument.

Citation: Piers Millett (ed.), et al. (2011). “Improving Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention: The 2007-2010 Intersessional Process”, UNIDIR, Geneva.

Sponsor Organizations: Piers Millett (ed.), Piers Millett, Masood Khan, Scott Spence, Implementation Support Unit,Implementation Support Unit,Implementation Support Unit, Ngoc Phuong Huynh, Piers Millett, Georgi Avramchev, Piers Millett, Isabelle Daoust-Maleval, Aamer Ikram, Marianne Heisz, Teck Mean Chua, Katsuhisa Furukawa, Robert Mathews, Koos van der Bruggen, Katherine Bowman, Jo Husbands, Ben Rusek & Barbara Schaal, Graham Pearson, Brian Rappert,Cathy Bollaert, Malcolm Dando & Simon Whitby, Marius Grinius, Pedro Oyarce, Ali Mohammadi, Keith Hamilton & Kazuaki Miyagishima, Joris De Baerdemaeker, Robin Coupland, Austin Ochieng Aluoch & Maurice Owuor Ope, Louise Gresham & Leslie Pray, Randall Murch, Richard Lennane

The post Improving Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention: The 2007-2010 Intersessional Process first appeared on UNIDIR.

The post Breaking the Ice in the Conference on Disarmament: A Wrap-up first appeared on UNIDIR.

The post Comprehensive Programme of Disarmament: Consideration of the Item by the CD first appeared on UNIDIR.

The post New Types and Systems of WMD: Consideration by the CD first appeared on UNIDIR.

The post Transparency in Armaments: Consideration of the Item in the CD first appeared on UNIDIR.

The post Transforming the Conference on Disarmament: Multilateral Arms Control and Disarmament for a Pluralistic World first appeared on UNIDIR.

The post The Conference on Disarmament and the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space first appeared on UNIDIR.

In this issue of Disarmament Forum authors examine positive contributions of NWFZs to regional and global security, developments on the African continent following the entry into force of the Treaty of Pelindaba, as well as the prospect of an Arctic NWFZ. Contributions also focus on the potential for a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, as the international community turns its attention to the 2012 conference on this issue.

Citation: Kerstin Vignard (ed.) (2011). “Disarmament Forum: Nuclear Weapon-Free Zones”, UNIDIR, Geneva.

Disponible aussi en français.

Contents

• Editor’s note, Kerstin Vignard
• Peeling the orange: regional paths to a nuclear-weapon-free world, Michael Hamel-Green
• The Treaty of Pelindaba: towards the full implementation of the African NWFZ Treaty, Noël Stott
• The Arctic: top of the world to be nuclear-weapon-free, Jan Prawitz
• Possible elements of an NWFZ in the Middle East, Nabil Fahmy and Patricia Lewis
• The role of civil society in promoting a WMDFZ in the Middle East, Chen Kane
• UNIDIR focus

The post Disarmament Forum: Nuclear Weapon-Free Zones first appeared on UNIDIR.

The post The Conference on Disarmament and Negative Security Assurances first appeared on UNIDIR.

The post The Conference on Disarmament and Engagement with Civil Society first appeared on UNIDIR.