DISARMAMENT FORA & AGENCIESThe order followed by this table corresponds to that of the course modules of the 2023 Disarmament Orientation Course and is not intended
to be exhaustive of all disarmament fora or weapons and technologies.
This table should be read in conjunction with the separate reading list. Acronyms used in this table are listed in the accompanying glossary.
Module 1: Scene-setting
Forum

Details

Meetings/Sessions

Venue

UN General

https://www.un.org/en/ga/first/

78th Session of the UN New York

Assembly First

Deals with disarmament and international security.

General Assembly FirstCommittee

Disarmament Resolutions and Decisions Database:Committee on

https://resolutions.unoda.org/Disarmament andInternational Security:
2 October - 3
November 2023

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WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGIES

Conference on

Set up in current form by the General Assembly via SSOD-I1

Weekly and annual

Disarmament (CD)

Conference on Disarmament – UNODA

planning of its

Deals with (mainly) nuclear disarmament including fissile

sessions: United

2materials; PAROS; NSAs; new types of WMD including

Nations | Office forradiological weapons; comprehensive programme ofDisarmament Affairs

disarmament; and transparency in armaments.

(unoda.org)

GenevaSSOD-I styled the CD as “a single multilateral disarmament
negotiating forum of limited size taking decisions on the basis ofconsensus”.
Disarmament

Set up in current form by the General Assembly via SSOD-I:

Meets for three weeks New York

Commission

https://www.un.org/disarmament/institutions/disarmament-each April.

commission/
Deals with 2 items per year: nuclear disarmament and one item
drawn from a range of issues.

1 First special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, 1978.
2 Effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.

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WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGIES

Module 2: Weapons of mass destruction
Weapon orExisting or

Administering

Main Meetings of States Parties (MSPs), andpotential

potential treaty

body & otherReviews

weaponization

regime(s)relevant

Venue

Treaty reference sites& other key references

forums &agencies
NuclearTreaty on theThe NPT has no

Reviewed 5-yearly in New York. Meets in Vienna,

New York

http://disarmament.un.org

weapons

Non-formal

Geneva and New York in each of the 3 years prior to(PrepCom:/treaties/t/npt

Proliferation ofsecretariat. It

the Review Conference.

also Vienna, See

Nuclearrelies on ODA,

10th Review Conference of NPT States Parties: dates

Geneva)Weapons (NPT),New York for

tbc https://www.un.org/en/conferences/npt2020

isarmament/wmd/nuclear/

1968

support

NB: in the next 5-yearly review cycle of the NPT,

repository/also: https://www.un.org/dStates Parties are likely to hold Preparatory
Committee meetings in Vienna, Geneva and NewYork.
Partial Test Ban

http://disarmament.un.org

Treaty (PTBT),/treaties/t/test_ban

1963Comprehensive

CTBTO, Vienna

Not yet in force.

Vienna /Nuclear-Test-(monitors

Article XIV Conferences take place every other year in New York

/treaties/t/ctbt

Ban-Treaty

nuclear tests)

Vienna and New York.

See also:(CTBT), 1996

http://disarmament.un.org

https://www.ctbto.org/(not in force)

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WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGIESIn the years between Article XIV Conferences,
Ministerial Meetings of CTBT Member States takeplace in New York in September.
Treaty on the2MSP: 27 November-1 December 2023

Prohibition of

https://meetings.unoda.org/node/67225

New York

http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/tpnw

NuclearWeapons(TPNW), 2017
Nuclear weapon

https://www.un.org/disar

free (regional)

mament/wmd/nuclear/nwfzones

z/see also:
Middle East Weapons ofMass Destruction Free
Zone | Programmes |UNIDIR

Safeguards:

IAEA, Vienna

https://www.iaea.org/topi

Comprehensive

cs/safeguards-legal-(NPT art III) &framework

Additional
ProtocolGGE on nuclear disarmament verification (2022-Geneva

2023); Concluded.

D I S A R M A M E N T O R I E N TAT I O N C O U R S E
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Final report: N2318395.pdf(un.org)

WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGIES

Biological

Biological and

BWC ISU,

weapons

Toxin Weapons

GenevaConvention(BWC or BTWC),
1972

ChemicalChemical

OPCW, The

weapons

Weapons

Hague

Reviewed 5-yearlyGeneva

http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/bwc

Working Group on the strengthening of theConvention: 4-8 December 2023
https://meetings.unoda.org/node/67453
Next MSP: 11-13 December 2023

See

https://meetings.unoda.org/node/67446

n.org/treaties/t/1925

Reviewed 5-yearly

also: http://disarmament.u

The Hague

http://disarmament.un.org/treaties/t/cwc

Convention

26th CSP (tbc): 29 Nov–3 December 2021

(CWC), 1992

https://www.opcw.org/calendar/2021/11/29/csp-26-

Seetwenty-sixth-conference-states-parties

also: https://www.opcw.org/

WMD

Security Council

UN Secretariat,

https://www.un.org/disar

Resolution 1540

New Yorkmament/wmd/sc1540/
Seealso: https://www.un.org/dD I S A R M A M E N T O R I E N TAT I O N C O U R S E
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WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGIES

isarmament/wmd/secretar
y-general-mechanism/
Export Controls

https://www.un.org/disar
mament/wmd/exportcontrols/
https://www.un.org/disar

Terrorism

mament/wmd/sgreportterrorism/

Module 3: Conventional Weapons
Weapon orExisting or

Administering

potential

potential treaty

bodyweaponization

regime(s)Conventional

Convention onCCW ISU,Weapons (otherCertain

Genevathan WMD)

ConventionalWeapons(CCW), 1980

Main MSPs and Reviews

Venue

Treaty reference sites &other key references

Meeting of High Contracting Parties 16 Nov 2022 –18 Nov 2022, Geneva

GenevaConvention on Certain Conventional Weapons Meeting of High Contracting Parties (2022) | United
Nations (unoda.org)

https://www.un.org/disar
mament/the-conventionon-certain-conventionalweapons/Seealso:https://www.icrc.org/en/document/1980-

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WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGIES

convention-certainconventional-weapons
Non-detectable

CCW Protocols I

CCW ISU,

Annual conferences for AP II & P V only:

P I: Microsoft Word -Fragments (P I),to V (1980,Geneva

Protocol I.doc (unoda.org)

Mines, Booby-

1995, 1996 andtraps etc (AP II),

2003) including

Incendiary (P III)

AmendedBlinding Lasers

Protocol II (APII)(P IV), Explosive(1996)

Informal open consultations on Protocol V: 8November 2023
https://meetings.unoda.org/node/67236
Group of Experts of Amended Protocol II on IED: 910 November 2023
https://meetings.unoda.org/node/6723417th Annual Conference of Protocol V: 13 November2023
https://meetings.unoda.org/node/67238
25th Annual Conference of Amended Protocol II: 14November 2023
https://meetings.unoda.org/node/67240

Remnants ofWar (P V)

AP II: Microsoft Word AMENDED PROTOCOL
II.doc (unoda.org)
P III: Microsoft Word PROTOCOL III.doc(unoda.org)
P IV: Microsoft Word PROTOCOL IV.doc(unoda.org)
P V: Microsoft Word Protocol on Explosive
Remnants of War.doc(unoda.org)

Improvised

See also

https://www.un.org/disar

Explosive

dedicatedmament/convarms/ieds/

Devices (IEDs)

GeneralSee CCW AP II

Assemblyprocess

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WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGIES

Explosive

PoliticalDiscussions inFirst follow-up meeting on the EWIPA declaration isweapons inDeclaration on

CCW andplanned to take place in Oslo in 2024.

populated areas

Strengthening

General(EWIPA)

the Protection

Assembly(includes IEDs)

of Civilians fromEWIPA Political Declaration
Protecting Civilians in
Urban Warfare Department of Foreign
Affairs (dfa.ie)
See also:

thehttps://www.un.org/disar

Humanitarianmament/convarms/explosi

Consequences

ve-weapons/

Arising from theUse of Explosive
Weapons inPopulated Areas(EWIPA), 2022
Anti-personnel

Anti-Personnel

landmines

Mine BanISU, Geneva

5-yearly Review Conferences; annual MSPs.

Genevanvention.org/overview-

Next Meeting of States Parties (MSP21):
20-24 November 2023
https://www.apminebanconvention.org/en/meetings-of-the-states-parties/21msp/

Convention(APMBC), 1997

https://www.apminebanco
and-convention-text/

Fifth Review Conference: 2-6 December 2024
Cluster

ClustermunitionsMunitions11th MSP: 11-14 September 2023

tion.org/the-Convention

https://meetings.unoda.org/ccm-msp/convention-convention/convention-(CCM), 2008

on-cluster-munitions-eleventh-meeting-of-states-

text/

ISU, Geneva

5-yearly Review Conferences; annual MSPs.

Genevaparties-2023

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https://www.clusterconven

WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGIESAn aspect

Geneva

ICRC, Geneva

4-yearly Review

https://ihl-affecting all

Conventions

databases.icrc.org/applic/iweapons issues

1949 &hl/ihl.nsf/vwTreaties1949.x

and armed

Additionalsp

conflict inProtocols I & II,

general =1977

International
Humanitarian
Law (IHL)
Small arms toArms Trade

Secretariat,

battle tanks,

Treaty (ATT)

Genevacombat aircraft

Conferences of the States Parties meet as required.

GenevaNext CSP (CSP10): 19-23 August 2024.
https://www.thearmstradetreaty.org/

and warships

https://thearmstradetreaty.org/
See
also: https://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/arm
s-trade-treaty-2/

UN Register ofhttps://www.un.org/disar

Conventional

mament/convarms/registe

Armsr/D I S A R M A M E N T O R I E N TAT I O N C O U R S E2023

WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGIES

Small arms andProgramme oflight weapons

Action on small

ODA, New York

Biennial reviews & 5-yearly Review Conferences.

New Yorkmament/convarms/salw/pr

UN Programme of Action on small arms and lightweapons (reachingcriticalwill.org)

arms & light
weapons (PoA),

https://www.un.org/disar
ogramme-of-action/

Preparatory Committee: 12-16 February 2024
United Nations | Office for Disarmament Affairs(unoda.org)

2001

Review Conference: 17-28 June 2024
United Nations | Office for Disarmament Affairs(unoda.org)
International

ODA, New YorkBiennial reviews & 5-yearly Review Conferences.

New York

https://unoda-Tracing

web.s3.amazonaws.com/w

Instrument (ITI)

pcontent/uploads/2020/02/I
TI_English.pdf

Firearms, theirFirearms

UNODC, Vienna

parts,

Protocol, 2005

Biennial Conferences of States Parties

Viennahttps://treaties.un.org/Pag
es/ViewDetails.aspx?src=T

components

REATY&mtdsg_no=XVIII-and ammunition

12c&chapter=18&clang=_en

D I S A R M A M E N T O R I E N TAT I O N C O U R S E
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WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGIESSee also:
http://www.poaiss.org/BPD/Upload/UNOD
C%20Legislative%20guide%
20for%20Firearms%20Prot
ocol.pdf
Conventional

Globalammunition

Framework forODA, New York

Preparatory Meeting of States planned for 2025,

tbc

A Global Framework for
Through-life Conventional
Ammunition Management:
Final_report_OEWG_on_co
nventional_ammunitionunedited.pdf (unoda.org)

Venue

Treaty reference sites &Meeting of States in 2027.

Through-life
Conventional
Ammunition
Management,
2023

Module 4: Space and Missiles
Weapon orExisting or

Administering

Main MSPs and Reviews

potential

potential treaty

bodyweaponization

regime(s)Space weapons

Outer SpaceOffice for Outerand Earth-based

Treaty (OST),Space Affairs,es/showDetails.aspx?objidweapons

1967

Vienna=0800000280128cbd

other key references
COPUOS meets annually

Viennacapable of

D I S A R M A M E N T O R I E N TAT I O N C O U R S E
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https://treaties.un.org/Pag

WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGIES

targeting(forbidsSee

space assets

placement ofalso: https://www.un.org/d

WMD in outer

isarmament/topics/outersp

space)

ace/and https://www.unoosa.org/

Missile-related

MissileNo Secretariat.

Members meet annually.

Changing

https://mtcr.info/guideline

goods andTechnology

France is thePress Releases – MTCR

venuess-for-sensitive-missile-technologies

Control Regime‘Point ofrelevant-transfers/(MTCR), 1987

Contact’.

Annex: https://mtcr.info/w
ordpress/wpcontent/uploads/2019/10/
MTCR-TEMTechnical_Annex_2019-1011-1.pdf

Space threats

OEWG on reducing space threats through norms,

Genevarules and principles of responsible behaviours
Fourth session: 28 August-1 September 2023

D I S A R M A M E N T O R I E N TAT I O N C O U R S E2023

WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGIES

https://meetings.unoda.org/open-ended-workinggroup-on-reducing-space-threats-2022

Module 3: ICT, AI & Cyber
Weapon orExisting or

Administering

potential

potential treaty

bodyweaponization

regime(s)LethalGroup ofCCW ISU,GGE on emerging technologies in the area of lethal

autonomous

Governmental

Genevaautonomous weapons systems (GGE on LAWS) of

https://meetings.unoda.org

weapons

Experts within

the CCW Parties.

/ccw-/convention-on-systems (LAWS)

the Convention

GGE Sessions + Annual conferences of Highcertain-conventional-on Certain

Contracting Parties to the CCW

weapons-group-of-

Conventional

Last 2023 session held in May; potential new

governmental-experts-on-Weapons

mandate for 2024 to be discussed at the upcoming

lethal-autonomous-(CCW).

annual Meeting of High Contracting Parties to theweapons-systems-2023

CyberNo treaty
available but
formal UN
process:
Open-ended
Working Groupon security ofand in the use

UNODA, NY

Main MSPs and Reviews

Venue

Treaty reference sites &other key references

CCW (15-17 November 2023).
Open-ended Working Group on security of and inthe use of information and communications
technologies 2021-2025. 11 sessions between 2021
and 2025. 6th session planned for 11-15 December
2023.

GenevaNew York

D I S A R M A M E N T O R I E N TAT I O N C O U R S E
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GGE LAWS:

https://meetings.unoda.org/open-ended-workinggroup-on-information-andcommunicationtechnologies-2021

WEAPONS AND TECHNOLOGIES
of informationandcommunications
technologies
2021-2025
Artificial

No treaty orIntelligence indedicatedthe military

processn/an/adomainGovernment
representatives meeting atthe 2023 REAIM summit
have agreed a joint call toaction on the responsibledevelopment, deployment
and use of artificial
intelligence (AI) in themilitary domain:
https://www.government.nl/documents/publications/2023/02/16/reaim-2023-callto-action

For updates, please also consult Home | United Nations (unoda.org) and Calendar (reachingcriticalwill.org).

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